MFA BRIEFING: SAME OLD STORY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000136

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STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: MFA BRIEFING: SAME OLD STORY

Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)


1. (SBU) GOZ foreign minister Samuel Mumbengegwi summoned
Heads of Mission to the MFA today for a briefing ostensibly
to discuss, as he stated in his introductory remarks,
"recent, very positive developments." After lauding the new,
inclusive government, and paying tribute to the AU, SADC, and
Thabo Mbeki for their roles in reconciling Zimbabwe's parties
to establish a government, Mumbengegwi came to the real point
of the briefing: sanctions.


2. (SBU) He said that turning around the economy, a goal of
the new government, would be difficult in the face of
sanctions. Focusing primarily on the EU, Mumbengegwi
lamented that in January when final negotiations between
ZANU-PF and the MDC were taking place to establish a
government, the EU chose to meet and then to extend
sanctions. While the EU had claimed--falsely in
Mumbengegwi's opinion--that EU sanctions had been targeted
against individuals opposed to the rule of law or involved in
human rights violations, the latest sanctions targeted 40 of
Zimbabwe's top companies. He said he would have hoped that
the international community would have worked with Zimbabwe
rather than imposing new sanctions, and he called for those
governments that had imposed sanctions to lift them in order
to help Zimbabwe and its people.


3. (SBU) The EU Head of Delegation suggested to Mumbengegwi
negotiating the removal of sanctions based on the Cotonou
Agreement. After a long-winded discourse on how the EU had
violated the Agreement by failing to adequately consult with
Zimbabwe before imposing sanctions, Mumbengegwi stated
Zimbabweans are always willing to negotiate but disingenously
claimed that governments in the past had been unwilling to
talk to the GOZ.


4. (SBU) The Czech Charge (noting that his country held the
EU presidency) stated that targeted sanctions had been
directed against human rights and rule of law violators and
asked, in light of continuing political detentions, what
Zimbabwe was prepared to do have sanctions lifted.
Mumbengegwi responded that the EU was engaged in political
double talk--it advocated rule of law but wanted the
government to interfere with the judicial system to compel it
to release legitimately detained prisoners.


5. (SBU) The foreign minister also discussed diplomatic
appointments with government ministers. He said that while
there were three political parties, there was only one
government. All requests for appointments should therefore
go through the MFA. When reminded that the MFA had not been
responsive in the past, Mumbengegwi said the MFA would do its
best.


6. (SBU) Finally, Mbengegwi said there was a desire to help
Zimbabwe and delegations from various counties were seeking
to visit Zimbabwe and meet with the government. He asked
that such visits be delayed "for a while," while ministers
got settled. (NOTE: The EC Head of Delegation told us that
a delegation of EU parliamentarians had wanted to visit
Qa delegation of EU parliamentarians had wanted to visit
Zimbabwe next week to assess the political situation; he
thought the GOZ wanted to avoid visits because of the
political detainee situation. END NOTE.)

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COMMENT
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7. (C) Over 30 detainees remain in custody, some since
October 30, despite lack of evidence. Officials continue to
blame sanctions for Zimbabwe's economic woes. What else is
new?

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8. (C) Mumbengegwi's insistence that appointment be made
through the MFA is likely an effort to monitor and channel
appointments with MDC ministers. We will continue to seek
appointment directly with ministers by phone.
MCGEE