Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LUSAKA637
2009-09-15 09:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lusaka
Cable title:  

ZAMBIA PREPARED TO BREAK WITH TRADITION AT UN

Tags:  PHUM PREL UN UNHRC ZI ZA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5763
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLS #0637 2580927
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 150927Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1397
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7268
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0511
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LUSAKA 000637 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO/RHS AND DRL/MLGA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN UNHRC ZI ZA
SUBJECT: ZAMBIA PREPARED TO BREAK WITH TRADITION AT UN
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL?

REF: SECSTATE 93373

Classified By: Ambassador Donald Booth for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUSAKA 000637

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO/RHS AND DRL/MLGA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN UNHRC ZI ZA
SUBJECT: ZAMBIA PREPARED TO BREAK WITH TRADITION AT UN
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL?

REF: SECSTATE 93373

Classified By: Ambassador Donald Booth for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. A senior Zambian Foreign Ministry official,
Winnie Chibesekunda, is predisposed to breaking with NAM, AU,
and SADC ranks at UN fora in order to address issues
individually and on their own merit. In response to the
reftel demarche, she expressed some willingness to support
country specific human rights resolutions, particularly those
that offer technical assistance or in cases where countries
under scrutiny have not cooperated with UN efforts. The
Zambian diplomat praised former President Mwanawasa for his
tough stance on Zimbabwe but lamented that this support did
not seem to be continuing under the Banda administration.
Chibesekunda noted that breaking with African consensus will
require State House support, which she considered tentative.
End Summary.


2. (C) At a September 11 meeting, the newly appointed head
of the Zambian Foreign Ministry's international organizations
unit, Winnie Chibesekunda, told poloff that she intends to
break with Zambia's traditional practice of bloc voting at
the UN and hopes to address each issue, particularly at the
Human Rights Council (HRC),on its own merit. Chibesekunda
offered few reactions to the individual points of the reftel
demarche and did not comment on Zambian positions or plans.
Although she acknowledged her government's discomfort with
country-specific human rights resolutions, she did not rule
out the possibility of Zambian support, particularly if a
resolution could be tied to technical assistance.
Chibesekunda said she was disinclined to continue supporting
countries like Suan and North Korea that "take Zambian
support fo granted" while failing to adequately cooperate
with the UN.


3. (C) Chibesekunda noted that (by her initiative) Zambia
had withheld its support for North Korea at a UN vote earlier
this year -- something that had taken a toll on the GRZ-North
Korean bilateral relationship. However, she said that
Zambia's likelihood of voting more independently (outside
NAM, AU, or SADC consensus) will be constrained by others
within the government who would prefer to maintain
established alliances out of political expediency, loyalty,
or custom. She pointed out, for instance, that President
Banda had improved relations with Mugabe -- despite ongoing
problems in Zimbabwe -- in an effort to mend the damage
inflicted by former President Mwanawasa's open (and "much
needed") criticism of the Zimbabwean leader. Chibesekunda
underscored that during the 1970s and 1980s, the GRZ had
wielded considerable political influence and respect in
southern Africa during the liberation struggles of
neighboring nations; Mwanawasa, she said, was on the road to
restoring that respect before his death.


4. (C) Comment: Chibesekunda suggested that Zambia's Perm
Rep in Geneva, Darlington Mwape, a former legal advisor to
Mwanawasa, may also share her perspective. However, given
that many in the GRZ, including Banda, remain true to their
liberation era ideas of the West, Chibesekunda will be
fighting an uphill battle and may not (in her words) "last
very long." Additionally, Zambia's interests will be driven
with equal -- if not greater -- force by Zambia's
well-established Perm Rep to the UN, Lazarous Kapambwe, who
is partly responsible for Zambia's poor voting coincidence
with the United States (at zero percent in 2008 on the 13
important votes). Although Kapambwe implied to emboffs that
the voting coincidence rate would improve during the Obama
Administration, both he and Chibesekunda will be subject to
the direction of a Zambian president apparently prone to
keeping with Zambia's undistinguished voting practices.
Despite this, Chibesekunda's refreshing candor and admirable
objectives may lead to some positive changes.

BOOTH