R 211557Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0298
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L WINDHOEK 000018 
 
 
NEA FOR IRAN DESK, ISN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019 
TAGS: PREL IAEA ZI IR WA
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES ZIMBABWE, IRAN 
 
REF: A) WINDHOEK 12 B) 08 WINDHOEK 368 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Dennise Mathieu for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) On January 21, Ambassador met with Namibian Foreign 
Minister Marco Hausiku to convey a New Year's greeting and 
discuss the situation in Zimbabwe.  Hausiku also briefly 
mentioned Namibia's overtures to Iran. 
 
-------- 
Zimbabwe 
-------- 
 
¶2. (C) Ambassador began by urging the Government of Namibia 
(GRN) to show leadership on Zimbabwe as the country continues 
to confront political, economic, and social challenges in the 
new year.  Hausiku agreed this was necessary and indicated 
this was why President Pohamba met with MDC leader Morgan 
Tsvangirai in Namibia last November (ref B).  He reckoned 
there would be an update on Zimbabwe at the upcoming AU 
Summit.  In addition, he echoed reports that there probably 
would be an emergency SADC summit in the coming days, given 
that South African President and current SADC Chairperson 
Motlanthe, Mozambican President Guebuza, and former South 
African President Mbeki had failed to make a breakthrough in 
meetings between Zimbabwean President Mugabe and Tsvangirai 
in Harare this week.  When asked if he thought Mbkei should 
remain the mediator, Hausiku replied affirmatively, saying 
that in addition to his impressive mediation skills, "it 
would be difficult to find someone who knows Zimbabwe better 
than Mbeki." 
 
¶3. (C) Essentially, the Foreign Minister said, Mugabe and 
Tsvangirai must come to a compromise.  Hausiku claimed that 
the GRN has urged both sides to accept that the Home Affairs 
Ministry should be co-chaired and that government should be a 
true coalition.  He called on the international community, 
the "friends of Tsvangirai," to deliver the same message. 
Hausiku also opined that the resignation of Mugabe would not 
bring about peace. Asked if Namibia would support early 
elections in Zimbabwe, Hausiku replied that the GRN had not 
considered such a move, as it would be a waste of resources 
to hold elections prior to the formation of a government of 
national unity. Otherwise, he argued, there would continue to 
be national discord. Even if he won, he theorized, Tsvangirai 
would later be voted out before he had had a chance to 
improve conditions. 
 
¶4. (C) Hausiku mentioned that the Government of Zimbabwe must 
also address kidnappings and disappearances of politicians, 
activists and journalists.  Ambassador welcomed the Foreign 
Minister's comment, noting that it represented a positive 
evolution in the GRN's approach.  She encouraged the GRN to 
work behind the scenes and in the SADC emergency meeting to 
help resolve the crisis as quickly as possible. 
 
---- 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶5. (C) Hausiku offered that Namibia has been engaging Iran 
and urging its government to provide the international 
community and news media with better access to the country. 
Ambassador added that this should include cooperation with 
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to allow 
inspections.  The Foreign Minister said he hoped President 
Obama would authorize greater contact with Iran, because a 
lack of engagement has led to misunderstandings in the past. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6. (C) The Foreign Minister made it clear that he believes 
the key to resolving the impasse in Zimbabwe is for the two 
sides to commit to working together, but he offered no new 
ideas about how that could be achieved.  This meeting as well 
as Ambassador's recent conversation with Prime Minister 
Angula (ref A) indicate that Namibia is increasingly 
concerned about the deterioration in Zimbabwe but, at the 
same time, Namibia is not yet ready to call for the departure 
of Mugabe. 
 
 
MATHIEU