HARARE – The People’sRepublic of China (PRC) holds the key to dismantling Zimbabwe’s ruling cabaland is likely to be influential in achieving elusive reforms to nudge hardlinesecurity chiefs to agree to political changes, according to a leaked USdiplomatic cable.
The cable, obtained byWikiLeaks, says German Ambassador to Zimbabwe Albrecht Conze told US ambassadorCharles Ray that the PRC plays a significant role in Zimbabwe and that Westernnations need to involve them more in cooperative activities wherever possible.
In the December 2009cable, Ray said Conze agreed with him that while China was unlikely to want toparticipate in pro-democracy programmes, economic stability was clearly in itsinterests.
“Conze believes that thePRC might even be useful in moving security sector reform forward as it has apotential impact on economic stability, and he does not believe South Africawill be really useful in this regard,” the cable said.
President Robert Mugabe,ostracised by the West for his failure to uphold the rule of law, human rightsand democracy, has turned to China and other Asian countries since 2000 as partof a "Look East" policy aimed at propping up Zimbabwe's troubledeconomy.
Presiding over what wasonce considered the world's fastest-shrinking economy in 2008, the 86-year-oldZimbabwean leader has offered the Chinese open access to all economic sectorsat a time when other investors have been leaving in droves.
The cable said as part ofthe plan, the Western diplomats have considered inviting the Chinese ambassadorto weekly meetings of the Fishmongers Head of Mission to explore potentialareas of cooperation.
The group currentlyconsists of envoys from the US, Canada, Australia and the European Union.
Security chiefs areMugabe’s staunchest allies and are credited with keeping the President in powerafter waging a ruthless campaign of violence in 2008 to force then oppositionleader Morgan Tsvangirai – now Prime Minister – to withdraw from a second roundpresidential poll that analysts had strongly tipped the former trade unionistto win.
Tsvangirai had beatenMugabe in the first round ballot but failed to achieve outright victory toavoid the second round run-off poll.
The security chiefs havepreviously vowed to never salute a president who did not take part in Zimbabwe’s1970s liberation struggle, in what was seen as a clear warning they wouldtopple any government led by Tsvangirai who did not take part in theindependence war.
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