Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
95HARARE4281
1995-04-20 05:01:00
SECRET
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
INTERVENING IN BURUNDI IN THE EVENT OF
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. PTQ4662 SECRET PTQ4662 PAGE 01 HARARE 04281 200508Z ACTION AF-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 EB-01 EUR-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-10 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NEA-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SP-00 SR-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 PRME-01 PRMC-01 DRL-09 G-00 /034W ------------------BD5B05 200509Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5636 INFO AMEMBASSY DAKAR IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY ACCRA IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY GABORONE IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY KIGALI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY TUNIS
S E C R E T HARARE 004281
SIPDIS
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL MOPS PHUM BY ZI
SUBJECT: INTERVENING IN BURUNDI IN THE EVENT OF
WIDE-SCALE VIOLENCE
REF: STATE 86948
S E C R E T HARARE 004281
SIPDIS
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL MOPS PHUM BY ZI
SUBJECT: INTERVENING IN BURUNDI IN THE EVENT OF
WIDE-SCALE VIOLENCE
REF: STATE 86948
1. SECRET- ENTIRE TEXT.
2. BEGIN SUMMARY. ZIMBABWEAN OFFICIALS SHARE OUR
CONCERN ABOUT THE CONTINUING VIOLENCE IN BURUNDI AND
RECOGNIZE THAT DIRECT MILITARY INTERVENTION UNDER THE
AEGIS OF THE UN AND/OR THE OAU MAY BE THE ONLY WAY TO
AVOID ANOTHER RWANDA SITUATION. ZIMBABWEAN FOREIGN
MINISTRY OFFICIALS WILL DISCUSS A POSSIBLE TROOP
CONTRIBUTION TO A BURUNDIAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE WITH
PRESIDENT MUGABE AND THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THE DEFENSE
MINISTRY. THE ZIMBABWEANS PROMISED TO LET US KNOW ASAP
IF (AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES) THE GOZ MIGHT BE
PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE TROOPS TO A BURUNDIAN
PEACEKEEPING FORCE. END SUMMARY
3. THE AMBASSADOR MET WITH ZIMBABWE'S PERMANENT
SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS STAN CHIGWEDERE ON APRIL
SIPDIS
13 TO DISCUSS THE CRISIS IN BURUNDI AND TO MAKE THE
DEMARCHE CONTAINED IN REFTEL. FOLLOWING THE
AMBASSADOR'S PRESENTATION, CHIGWEDERE EXPRESSED DISMAY
AT THE SITUATION IN BURUNDI AND SAID THAT THE GOZ WAS
ALSO "SERIOUSLY CONCERNED" ABOUT THE CONTINUING CYCLE OF
VIOLENCE IN THAT COUNTRY. CHIGWEDERE SAID THAT THE
ISSUE OF BURUNDI HAS BEEN A RECENT SUBJECT OF
DISCUSSIONS AT THE MFA AND THAT HE HOPED TO GET A
PERSONAL READOUT FROM THE SOUTH AFRICA FOREIGN MINISTER
FOLLOWING HIS OAU SPONSORED TRIP TO BURUNDI. DISPLAYING
SECRET
SECRET
PAGE 03 HARARE 04281 200508Z
A FAIRLY BROAD KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CURRENT BURUNDIAN
SITUATION, CHIGWEDERE PLACED MUCH OF THE BLAME ON
BURUNDI'S TUTSI-DOMINATED MILITARY AND THE EXTREMIST
ELEMENTS IN FRODEBU.
4. CHIGWEDERE WELCOMED OUR CONSULTATIONS ON THE BURUNDI
ISSUE AND AGREED WITH OUR ASSESSMENT THAT WE MUST TRY TO
DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PREVENT ANOTHER RWANDA.
CHIGWEDERE ALSO AGREED THAT A CREDIBLE THREAT AND/OR
ACTUAL USE OF A MILITARY PEACEKEEPING FORCE MIGHT BE THE
ONLY WAY TO PREVENT OR CONTAIN A MAJOR ERUPTION OF
VIOLENCE IN BURUNDI.
5. CHIGWEDERE SAID HE AND HIS MFA COLLEAGUES WOULD
RAISE THE TROOP ISSUE AT A HIGH LEVEL IN THE DEFENSE
MINISTRY AND ALSO WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE. HE SAID HE
WOULD NOT PREJUDGE ANY DECISION, BUT WOULD GET BACK TO
THE AMBASSADOR AS SOON AS HE HAD ANY HARD NEWS ON
WHETHER THE GOZ WOULD BE PREPARED TO COMMIT ANY TROOPS.
CHIGWEDERE URGED THE AMBASSADOR TO RAISE THE BURUNDI
ISSUE WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE DURING THE AMBASSADOR'S
FORTHCOMING PRESENTATION OF CREDENTIALS CEREMONY.
6. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH THE GOZ IS SERIOUSLY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE BLOODLETTING IN BURUNDI, IT IS DIFFICULT TO
PREDICT HOW THE ZIMBABWEANS WILL REACT ON THIS ISSUE.
ON THE PLUS SIDE, THEY HAVE RESPONDED FAVORABLY TO A
NUMBER OF PEACEKEEPING REQUESTS AND ARE CURRENTLY
COMMITTED TO SENDING A BATTALION TO ANGOLA. HOWEVER, ON
THE NEGATIVE SIDE, ZIMBABWE'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE
TROOPS TO THE ANGOLAN PEACEKEEPING OPERATION, THE LACK
SECRET
SECRET
PAGE 04 HARARE 04281 200508Z
OF GOZ FUNDS TO SUPPORT ANOTHER MILITARY OPERATION, AND
A LACK OF FINANCIAL OR MATERIAL SUPPORT FROM THE U.S.
MAY DETER THE ZIMBABWEANS FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN
BURUNDI. WE ALSO NOTE THAT THE ZIMBABWEANS ARE RELYING
ON BRITISH LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR FORTHCOMING
OPERATIONS IN ANGOLA.
CARSON
SECRET
NNNN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL MOPS PHUM BY ZI
SUBJECT: INTERVENING IN BURUNDI IN THE EVENT OF
WIDE-SCALE VIOLENCE
REF: STATE 86948
1. SECRET- ENTIRE TEXT.
2. BEGIN SUMMARY. ZIMBABWEAN OFFICIALS SHARE OUR
CONCERN ABOUT THE CONTINUING VIOLENCE IN BURUNDI AND
RECOGNIZE THAT DIRECT MILITARY INTERVENTION UNDER THE
AEGIS OF THE UN AND/OR THE OAU MAY BE THE ONLY WAY TO
AVOID ANOTHER RWANDA SITUATION. ZIMBABWEAN FOREIGN
MINISTRY OFFICIALS WILL DISCUSS A POSSIBLE TROOP
CONTRIBUTION TO A BURUNDIAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE WITH
PRESIDENT MUGABE AND THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THE DEFENSE
MINISTRY. THE ZIMBABWEANS PROMISED TO LET US KNOW ASAP
IF (AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES) THE GOZ MIGHT BE
PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE TROOPS TO A BURUNDIAN
PEACEKEEPING FORCE. END SUMMARY
3. THE AMBASSADOR MET WITH ZIMBABWE'S PERMANENT
SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS STAN CHIGWEDERE ON APRIL
SIPDIS
13 TO DISCUSS THE CRISIS IN BURUNDI AND TO MAKE THE
DEMARCHE CONTAINED IN REFTEL. FOLLOWING THE
AMBASSADOR'S PRESENTATION, CHIGWEDERE EXPRESSED DISMAY
AT THE SITUATION IN BURUNDI AND SAID THAT THE GOZ WAS
ALSO "SERIOUSLY CONCERNED" ABOUT THE CONTINUING CYCLE OF
VIOLENCE IN THAT COUNTRY. CHIGWEDERE SAID THAT THE
ISSUE OF BURUNDI HAS BEEN A RECENT SUBJECT OF
DISCUSSIONS AT THE MFA AND THAT HE HOPED TO GET A
PERSONAL READOUT FROM THE SOUTH AFRICA FOREIGN MINISTER
FOLLOWING HIS OAU SPONSORED TRIP TO BURUNDI. DISPLAYING
SECRET
SECRET
PAGE 03 HARARE 04281 200508Z
A FAIRLY BROAD KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CURRENT BURUNDIAN
SITUATION, CHIGWEDERE PLACED MUCH OF THE BLAME ON
BURUNDI'S TUTSI-DOMINATED MILITARY AND THE EXTREMIST
ELEMENTS IN FRODEBU.
4. CHIGWEDERE WELCOMED OUR CONSULTATIONS ON THE BURUNDI
ISSUE AND AGREED WITH OUR ASSESSMENT THAT WE MUST TRY TO
DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PREVENT ANOTHER RWANDA.
CHIGWEDERE ALSO AGREED THAT A CREDIBLE THREAT AND/OR
ACTUAL USE OF A MILITARY PEACEKEEPING FORCE MIGHT BE THE
ONLY WAY TO PREVENT OR CONTAIN A MAJOR ERUPTION OF
VIOLENCE IN BURUNDI.
5. CHIGWEDERE SAID HE AND HIS MFA COLLEAGUES WOULD
RAISE THE TROOP ISSUE AT A HIGH LEVEL IN THE DEFENSE
MINISTRY AND ALSO WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE. HE SAID HE
WOULD NOT PREJUDGE ANY DECISION, BUT WOULD GET BACK TO
THE AMBASSADOR AS SOON AS HE HAD ANY HARD NEWS ON
WHETHER THE GOZ WOULD BE PREPARED TO COMMIT ANY TROOPS.
CHIGWEDERE URGED THE AMBASSADOR TO RAISE THE BURUNDI
ISSUE WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE DURING THE AMBASSADOR'S
FORTHCOMING PRESENTATION OF CREDENTIALS CEREMONY.
6. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH THE GOZ IS SERIOUSLY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE BLOODLETTING IN BURUNDI, IT IS DIFFICULT TO
PREDICT HOW THE ZIMBABWEANS WILL REACT ON THIS ISSUE.
ON THE PLUS SIDE, THEY HAVE RESPONDED FAVORABLY TO A
NUMBER OF PEACEKEEPING REQUESTS AND ARE CURRENTLY
COMMITTED TO SENDING A BATTALION TO ANGOLA. HOWEVER, ON
THE NEGATIVE SIDE, ZIMBABWE'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE
TROOPS TO THE ANGOLAN PEACEKEEPING OPERATION, THE LACK
SECRET
SECRET
PAGE 04 HARARE 04281 200508Z
OF GOZ FUNDS TO SUPPORT ANOTHER MILITARY OPERATION, AND
A LACK OF FINANCIAL OR MATERIAL SUPPORT FROM THE U.S.
MAY DETER THE ZIMBABWEANS FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN
BURUNDI. WE ALSO NOTE THAT THE ZIMBABWEANS ARE RELYING
ON BRITISH LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR FORTHCOMING
OPERATIONS IN ANGOLA.
CARSON
SECRET
NNNN