VZCZCXRO2598
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBZ RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHDU RUEHFL RUEHGI RUEHIK
RUEHJO RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPOD RUEHRN
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DE RUCNDT #0499 1580025
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 060025Z JUN 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4388
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000499 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF AND IO FOR FRONT OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC ZI KDEM
SUBJECT: UNSC CONCERNED ABOUT ZIMBABWE'S DETENTION OF 
DIPLOMATS 
 
REF: OP CENTER-USUN EMAILS 06/05/08 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: USUN convened emergency Security Council 
consultations on June 5 to discuss the illegal detention and 
harassment of U.S. and British diplomatic personnel in 
Zimbabwe.  Security Council delegations agreed to elements of 
an oral press statement expressing concern about the incident 
in the context of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic 
Relations.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------------------------------- 
USUN Convenes Emergency UNSC 
Consultations on Mazowe Incident 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) USUN called for emergency Security Council 
consultations on June 5 to discuss the detention and 
intimidation of U.S. and UK diplomatic personnel by 
government forces and mob elements at a roadblock outside the 
town of Mazowe, Zimbabwe (reftel).  USUN POL MinCounselor 
briefed the Council on the incident in coordination with UKUN 
D/PermRep Karen Pierce.  He emphasized that the incident, 
which is a violation of international conventions regarding 
the obligation to protect diplomatic personnel and property, 
came in the context of ongoing attempts by the Government of 
Zimbabwe (GOZ) to use violence to intimidate opposition 
figures in the lead up to the June 27 runoff elections.  In 
connection with the briefing, USUN and UKUN suggested that 
the Security Council president (currently the U.S.) deliver a 
brief statement to the media expressing the Security 
Council's concern about the illegal detention of diplomatic 
personnel and the associated climate of violence. 
 
--------------------- 
South Africa Suggests 
U.S./U.K. to Blame 
--------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) South African D/PermRep Baso Sangqu said his 
delegation could not support a formal statement on the June 5 
incident because his delegation did not yet have detailed 
information.  He also suggested a briefing by the Secretariat 
might be helpful in this regard.  Further, Sangqu said there 
were some indications from media reports and official 
Zimbabwean statements that some diplomatic personnel may have 
been "involved in activities outside of their accreditation." 
 Burkina Faso, Libya, Russia and China concurred that members 
of the Security Council should take a cautious approach and 
not issue a formal statement on the incident until 
delegations had a chance to assemble more information. 
 
¶4. (U) UK DPR Pierce and USUN POL MinCounselor responded that 
any suggestion that U.S. and UK diplomatic personnel were 
involved in illegal activities was "categorically false" and 
all delegations on the Security Council had a stake in 
speaking out against violations of the Vienna Convention. 
France, Croatia, Belgium, Costa Rica, Panama and Italy 
expressed strong support for an immediate Council reaction. 
After further discussion, French Counselor de Riviere 
suggested that the presidency make brief remarks to the press 
on the matter.  Indonesian D/PermRep Hasan Kleib supported 
this approach and Council members agreed on elements 
including expressing concern about the incident and the need 
to uphold the Vienna Convention in particular the protection 
of diplomats and their property.  UKUN called for the 
Security Council to take up wider consultations on the issue 
of Zimbabwe at the earliest opportunity. 
 
Khalilzad