Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LONDON409
2009-02-17 11:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy London
Cable title:
ZIMBABWE: UK TO MAINTAIN "HARD-LINE" APPROACH
how-toVZCZCXRO4087 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDBU RUEHDU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHMR RUEHNP RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHLO #0409 0481142 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 171142Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY LONDON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1383 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE PRIORITY 0176 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000409
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPART FROM AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID ZI UK
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: UK TO MAINTAIN "HARD-LINE" APPROACH
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000409
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPART FROM AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID ZI UK
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: UK TO MAINTAIN "HARD-LINE" APPROACH
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C/NF) Following DFID Africa Minister Ivan Lewis' February
13 statement to Parliament that the UK is not considering
"practical aid" to Zimbabwe until it has judged the "behavior
and conduct" of the power-sharing administration, PM Special
Advisor for Africa Brendan Cox, Cabinet Office Senior Africa
Policy Advisor Anna French, and FCO Zimbabwe Deputy Team
Leader Rosie Tapper all separately said that HMG will
maintain its "hard-line approach" to Zimbabwe. French said
February 12 that UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke to
newly-inaugurated Zimbabwe Prime Minister Tsvangirai shortly
after the swearing-in ceremony. According to French, Brown
told Tsvangirai that he was "disappointed" with how the
power-sharing negotiations were handled and that he would not
be sympathetic to requests for assistance until there was
proof that the power-sharing was truly being implemented.
2. (C/NF) Tapper explained February 13 that with the EU
sanctions renewed in January for 12 months, there will be
little political space in the EU for discussions about
lifting the sanctions unless there is significant progress on
power-sharing in Zimbabwe. She said the UK will only
consider lifting sanctions when the GOZ has moved on economic
reform, restoration of the rule of law, and progress towards
elections. She noted that EU Development Commissioner Louis
Michel, who had previously made "overly positive" statements
on the situation in Zimbabwe, is not the EU's official
spokesperson and tends to go "off script." There has been no
change in policy on sanctions, she reiterated.
3. (C/NF) Cox said February 16 that HMG is becoming
"increasingly pessimistic" about the prospects that the
power-sharing agreement will work. He said HMG would like to
begin consulting with the USG about moving forward after the
power-sharing administration fails. Cox said that if the
agreement fails, the issue needs to be moved "out of SADC's
hands and put in the UN's." He indicated now was the time to
do bold thinking and planning on Zimbabwe policy.
Comment
--------------
4. (SBU) Alistair Harrison's last day as FCO Zimbabwe Unit
Head was February 13, and his successor has yet to be
appointed. Rosie Tapper joined the FCO Zimbabwe Unit as
Deputy on February 9, coming from Ghana to replace Ben
Llewellyn-Jones. Brendan Cox joined Number 10 as the Prime
Minister's Special Advisor on Africa in early February,
coming from the UK policy advocacy NGO Crisis Action.
(Further information on Cox and his priorities to be reported
septel.)
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
LEBARON
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPART FROM AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID ZI UK
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: UK TO MAINTAIN "HARD-LINE" APPROACH
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C/NF) Following DFID Africa Minister Ivan Lewis' February
13 statement to Parliament that the UK is not considering
"practical aid" to Zimbabwe until it has judged the "behavior
and conduct" of the power-sharing administration, PM Special
Advisor for Africa Brendan Cox, Cabinet Office Senior Africa
Policy Advisor Anna French, and FCO Zimbabwe Deputy Team
Leader Rosie Tapper all separately said that HMG will
maintain its "hard-line approach" to Zimbabwe. French said
February 12 that UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke to
newly-inaugurated Zimbabwe Prime Minister Tsvangirai shortly
after the swearing-in ceremony. According to French, Brown
told Tsvangirai that he was "disappointed" with how the
power-sharing negotiations were handled and that he would not
be sympathetic to requests for assistance until there was
proof that the power-sharing was truly being implemented.
2. (C/NF) Tapper explained February 13 that with the EU
sanctions renewed in January for 12 months, there will be
little political space in the EU for discussions about
lifting the sanctions unless there is significant progress on
power-sharing in Zimbabwe. She said the UK will only
consider lifting sanctions when the GOZ has moved on economic
reform, restoration of the rule of law, and progress towards
elections. She noted that EU Development Commissioner Louis
Michel, who had previously made "overly positive" statements
on the situation in Zimbabwe, is not the EU's official
spokesperson and tends to go "off script." There has been no
change in policy on sanctions, she reiterated.
3. (C/NF) Cox said February 16 that HMG is becoming
"increasingly pessimistic" about the prospects that the
power-sharing agreement will work. He said HMG would like to
begin consulting with the USG about moving forward after the
power-sharing administration fails. Cox said that if the
agreement fails, the issue needs to be moved "out of SADC's
hands and put in the UN's." He indicated now was the time to
do bold thinking and planning on Zimbabwe policy.
Comment
--------------
4. (SBU) Alistair Harrison's last day as FCO Zimbabwe Unit
Head was February 13, and his successor has yet to be
appointed. Rosie Tapper joined the FCO Zimbabwe Unit as
Deputy on February 9, coming from Ghana to replace Ben
Llewellyn-Jones. Brendan Cox joined Number 10 as the Prime
Minister's Special Advisor on Africa in early February,
coming from the UK policy advocacy NGO Crisis Action.
(Further information on Cox and his priorities to be reported
septel.)
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
LEBARON