SWAZI FOREIGN MINISTER: SADC ANTICIPATES POTENTIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L MBABANE 000031 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2020 TAGS: PREL PINR SADC AU WZ SUBJECT: SWAZI FOREIGN MINISTER: SADC ANTICIPATES POTENTIAL CLASH OVER MADAGASCAR AT AU SUMMIT; SOUTH AFRICA HAS LEAD ON ZIMBABWE Classified By: Ambassador Earl M. Irving for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Swaziland,s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Lutfo E. Dlamini told Ambassador on January 22 that Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit participants expressed disapproval of France,s continued support of the Rajoelina regime in Madagascar. He said that SADC members, who met on January 14 in Maputo on the margins of Mozambican President Guebuza's inauguration, were concerned that a clash over what to do about the crisis in Madagascar might ensue at the January 25 African Union summit in Addis Ababa. The Foreign Minister indicated he looks to work with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Madagascar issues when he arrives in Addis Ababa. The individual who chairs the committee examining the Madagascar question is from a francophone west African country, and SADC members suspect he is sympathetic to the French position. He stated that SADC opposed early elections in March because they implied that Madagascar had no constitutional head of state, an assertion they found unacceptable. U.S. Support and Voice on Madagascar Welcome -------------- -- ¶2. (C) The top Swazi diplomat was grateful for U.S. support of the SADC position, particularly as he was not certain whether SADC would be able to carry the day on Madagascar at the AU summit or secure the Malawian president,s election as chairman. In this connection, he asked that the U.S. make its position on the crisis in Madagascar known broadly and authoritatively ahead of the summit. He confirmed that former Mozambican President Chissano had been mandated to continue leading the mediation efforts in Madagascar. He also informed the Ambassador that the SADC heads of state in Maputo had discussed the possibility of targeted sanctions against the Rajoelina regime. While they unequivocally favored isolating the regime, many were skeptical that travel and financial sanctions would be effective, particularly with France acting as the principal sanctions buster. Libya Lobbies King for AU Chairmanship Re-election -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) In an aside, the Foreign Minister mentioned that Libyan leader Qadhafi had telephoned King Mswati III to lobby for support for his re-election as AU chairman. According to Dlamini, the Libyan leader had told the Swazi monarch that if he lost the election but still had Mswati III,s support, "he would give the king the AU chairmanship." Dlamini also said that the Libyan leader had offered him a plane ticket when the Foreign Minister complained he did not have the funds to travel to Tripoli to deliver King Mswati III,s invitation to attend the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa summit in August in Swaziland. The Swazis took the ticket but sent a lower ranking envoy to deliver the invitation. When the Swazi envoy arrived in Tripoli, an angry Qadhafi refused to receive him and palmed him off on the Foreign Minister. Zuma to Push on Zimbabwe Issue -------------- ¶4. (C) Regarding Zimbabwe, Dlamini explained that the summit confirmed South African president Zuma as leader of the SADC mediation effort. He observed that Zuma was under considerable pressure domestically to achieve some results because so many Zimbabwean economic refugees had flooded into South Africa. He said that the SADC heads of state were impatient with "Bob," and that Zuma had addressed him firmly. According to Dlamini, Zuma told Mugabe that if he and Morgan Tsvangirai had fifteen issues before them and reached agreement on one, they should move forward on the point and not wait until all fifteen were resolved. IRVING