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R 170654Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
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INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 003640 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S S. HILL 
NSC FOR B. LEO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2017 
TAGS:      
SUBJECT: CHRONOLOGY OF SOUTH AFRICAN FACILITATION IN 
ZIMBABWE 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Donald Teitelbaum.  Reasons 1.4(b) and 
 (d). 
 
 1. (C) Following is a chronology of key events in the South 
African mediation in Zimbabwe since the Southern African 
Development Community (SADC) appointed President Thabo Mbeki 
as "facilitator" at its March 29, 2007 summit in Dar es 
Salaam.  The South African Government (SAG) has not publicly 
announced the meetings with ZANU-PF or the opposition 
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), so many of the events 
are not/not confirmed and based on reports from various press 
and privileged sources. 
 
 
March 27-29:  SADC Extraordinary Summit in Dar es Salaam. 
Summit "mandates" Mbeki to "continue to facilitate dialogue 
between the opposition and government" in Zimbabwe and report 
on progress.  Also "mandates" Executive Secretary to 
undertake "study of economic situation" and propose measures 
for assisting Zimbabwe. 
 
Early April:  Mbeki sends letters to ZANU-PF and two MDC 
formations explaining his plans for the mediation and 
requesting papers on their views on the crisis.  Mbeki 
appoints Minister for Provincial and Local Government Sydney 
Mufamadi as his lead negotiator for the Zimbabwe talks. 
Other members of the SAG team are Director General in the 
Presidency Frank Chikane, Presidential Legal Advisor Mojanku 
Gumbi, and Department of Foreign Affairs Director General 
Ayanda Ntsaluba. 
 
April 4:  Mufamadi and SAG team meet with MDC 
Secretary-Generals Tendai Biti and Welshman Ncube in Pretoria. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
April 11:  MDC presents joint negotiating paper to SAG, 
focusing on necessary conditions for free and fair elections. 
 
May 4:  MDC presents follow-up joint paper at request of SAG, 
identifying possible areas of "contention" during upcoming 
talks. 
 
Early May:  Mufamadi and SAG team travel to Harare for talks 
with ZANU-PF, including key negotiators GOZ Justice Minister 
Patrick Chinamasa and Labour Minister Nicholas Goche. 
 
June 1:  Government of Zimbabwe/ZANU-PF presents negotiating 
paper to SAG, highlighting role of U.K. and sanctions in 
crisis. 
 
June 17-18:  First round of South African/SADC-facilitated 
talks takes place in Pretoria; agreement on five-point agenda 
(constitution, electoral laws, security legislation, 
communications, and political climate). 
 
June 30:  SADC Executive Secretary completes report on 
economic situation in Zimbabwe. 
 
July 7:  ZANU-PF no-show at scheduled facilitation talks in 
Pretoria.  Mbeki reportedly angry, calls Mugabe. 
 
Mid-July:  ZANU-PF and MDC meet privately in Harare.  ZANU-PF 
negotiators travel to Pretoria.  SAG pressure on ZANU-PF to 
negotiate seriously. 
 
July 29:  Following SAG Cabinet retreat, Mbeki says he is 
"quite confident" that agreement in Zimbabwe will be reached. 
 Stresses that election results "should not be contested." 
 
August 13:  SAG briefs Zimbabwe civil society in Johannesburg 
on talks.  Civil society complains about exclusion from 
process. 
 
August 16-17:  SADC Summit in Lusaka.  Mbeki presents report 
on political facilitation.  SADC Executive Secretariat 
reports on economic situation.  Communique "commends" Mbeki 
and "welcomes progress" in negotiations. 
 
September 1-2:  ZANU-PF and MDC negotiators meet in Pretoria 
on electoral process and constitutional reforms. 
 
September 14-15:  Mbeki meets with MDC Presidents Tsvangirai 
and Mutumbara, and Secretary-Generals Tendai Biti and 
Welshman Ncube in Pretoria; convinces them to support 
Constitutional Amendment 18. 
 
September 17:  SAG briefs Zimbabwean civil society for second 
time in Johannesburg. 
 
PRETORIA 00003640  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
September 18:  Zimbabwean Parliament agrees on Constitutional 
Amendment 18 with support of ZANU-PF and MDC. 
 
September 19:  South African Cabinet "welcomes" recent 
breakthrough on constitutional amendments in Zimbabwe. 
 
September 19-28:  MDC and ZANU-PF meet regularly in Harare on 
new constitution and other issues. 
 
September 26:  In UNGA speech criticizing U.S. and U.K., 
Mugabe expresses "gratitude" to Mbeki for "successfully 
facilitating" dialogue between ZANU-PF and MDC.  Mbeki and 
Mugabe meet privately on margins of UNGA. 
 
September 29-30:  MDC and ZANU-PF initial new constitution in 
Harare; SAG officials Mufamadi, Gumbi, and Chikane witness 
agreement.  New constitution includes elements of rejected 
2000 constitution, 2004 initialed document, and NCA draft. 
 
Early October: Mufamadi and Chikane meet ZANU-PF and MDC in 
Harare.. 
 
October 5:  In public remarks with German Chancellor Merkel, 
Mbeki states that Zimbabwe talks "going very well," and he is 
"confident that they will reach an agreement." 
 
o/a October 17:  Select SADC Finance Ministers, including SAG 
FinMin Manuel, to meet in Harare on economic crisis. 
 
Ongoing:  MDC and ZANU-PF negotiators meeting in Harare to 
finalize remaining agenda items:  repressive legislation, 
diaspora vote, sanctions, voters roll, timing of elections, 
and timing of implementation of constitution. 
 
October 30:  MDC and ZANU-PF negotiators scheduled to return 
to Pretoria to report on progress. 
 
November:  Target date for conclusion of South African/SADC 
facilitation. 
 
March 2008:  Current date for Zimbabwe parliamentary and 
presidential elections; could be delayed to September or 
October. 
 
 2. (U) This message was coordinated with Embassy Harare. 
Teitelbaum