VZCZCXRO1487
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR
DE RUEHSA #0582 0401512
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091512Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1467
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS PRETORIA 000582 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S M. TABLER-STONE, B. NEULING 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ZI SF
SUBJECT: MBEKI PUBLICLY DETAILS SAG EFFORTS TO FORGE NEW 
ZIMBABWE CONSTITUTION 
 
¶1. (U) President Mbeki publicly described South Africa's past 
role in "informal talks" about a new Zimbabwean Constitution, 
during a February 5 South African Broadcasting Corporation 
television interview.  Mbeki said the Zimbabwean parties had 
completed negotiations and provided him with a copy of the 
constitution "initialed by everybody." Following the 
completion of talks, the South Africans expected the process 
to move forward, but Mbeki said that "new problems arose 
among themselves."  Until now, Mbeki said that the Zimbabwean 
parties did not want South Africa to discuss its role in 
these talks. 
 
¶2. (U) Both factions of the opposition Movement for 
Democratic Change denied Mbeki's claim that their party and 
President Mugabe's ZANU-PF had agreed on a new constitution. 
SAPA reported February 9 that Morgan Tsvangirai said he was 
"in shock" at Mbeki's remarks, and rival Welshman Ncube 
admitted only that the MDC held informal talks with ZANU-PF 
legal secretary Patrick Chinamasa.  Ncube said the talks 
"never bore fruit." 
 
¶3. (SBU) Comment:  This marks the first time Mbeki has 
publicly discussed South Africa's behind-the-scenes role in 
assisting ZANU-PF and MDC to negotiate a new, "compromise" 
Zimbabwean constitution.  Mbeki's remarks came up at the end 
of a lengthy interview on a range of foreign and domestic 
topics.  His comments may signal that he believes the 
prospects for reviving the Zimbabwean "compromise 
constitution" are slim (or nonexistent).  Mbeki may also wish 
to answer critics who claim that South Africa has done little 
to try to solve the political crisis in Zimbabwe.  End 
Comment. 
TEITELBAUM