Zimbabwe

 

 

 

Robert Mugabe has survived for so long because he is more clever and more ruthless than any other politician in Zimbabwe. To give the devil his due, he is a brilliant tactitian and has long thrived on his ability to abruptly change the rules of the game, radicalize the political dynamic and force everyone else to react to his agenda. However, he is fundamentally hampered by several factors: his ego and belief in his own infallibility; his obsessive focus on the past as a justification for everything in the present and future; his deep ignorance on economic issues (coupled with the belief that his 18 doctorates give him the authority to suspend the laws of economics, including supply and demand); and his essentially short-term, tactical style.

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Nelson Mandela Release

 

DATE 1990-01-17 15:12:00

SOURCE Consulate Cape Town

CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CAPE TOWN 00097

LONDON FOR KOLKER, PARIS FOR FENDRICK

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM. SF
SUBJ: ESSA MOOSA TALKS ABOUT MANDELA AND OTHER TOPICS

1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.

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SUMMARY
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2. ATTORNEY ESSA MOOSA WHO SPOKE WITH HIM LAST WEEK,
SAYS MANDELA FULLY EXPECTS THAT ON FEBRUARY 2 DE KLERK
WILL ANNOUNCE THE UNBANNING OF THE ANC, PAC AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS, THE LIFTING OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY,
THE RETURN OF POLITICAL EXILES TO SOUTH AFRICA, AND THE
CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 CAPE T 00097 01 OF 03 182017Z

RELEASE OF SEVERAL POLITICAL PRISONERS INCLUDING MANDELA
HIMSELF. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS WOULD COME
SWIFTLY AFTER DE KLERK'S SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF
PARLIAMENT.
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3. THE SAG IS CONCERNED OVER ANC RELATIONS WITH THE SACP
AND OVER THE WORKING DEFINITION OF "ONE MAN ONE VOTE,"
AMONG OTHER "WHITE FEARS" ISSUES. MANDELA HAS PASSED
DE KLERK'S "PROPOSALS" ON THESE TOPICS TO THE ANC.
THE ORGANIZATION'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IT IS WILLING TO
NEGOTIATE EVEN WHILE APARTHEID LAWS REMAIN IN PLACE MAY
BE PART OF THE ANC'S REPLY TO THE SAG.

4. TENSIONS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCED BY THE SAG'S TACTIC OF OPENING DIALOGUE AND A
COMMITMENT SHARED BY THE MDM TO REDUCE CONFRONTATIONS.
WHILE MAINLY OF BENEFIT TO THE SAG, THIS PERIOD OF CALM
COULD ALSO FAVOR THE ANC'S NEW STRATEGY OF PRAGMATISM.

5. RAISING THE PENDING VISIT OF JESSE JACKSON, MOOSA
EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT IT WOULD BE BAD FOR THE STRUGGLE
IF JACKSON ADVOCATED LIFTING SANCTIONS UPON HIS RETURN TO
THE US. END SUMMARY.

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QADHAFI'S PERSONALITY REFLECTED IN HIS PHOBIAS

2. (S/NF) Muammar al-Qadhafi has been described as both
mercurial and eccentric, and our recent first-hand experiences
with him and his office, primarily in preparation for his UNGA
trip, demonstrated the truth of both characterizations. From
the moment Qadhafi's staff began to prepare for his travel to
the United States, ––––– ––––– –– ––– ––––– –– –––––,
–––– –––––, ––– ––– –––– –– ––– –––– ––– ––– ––––– –––– of
his 40-year rule, various proclivities and phobias began to
reveal themselves in every logistical detail. When applying for
Qadhafi's visa, ––––– ––––– asked whether it was necessary
for the Leader to submit a portrait of himself that fit consular
application regulations, noting that his photo was displayed
throughout the city and that anyone of hundreds of billboards
could be photographed and shrunken to fit the application's
criteria. When the rule was enforced, ––––– –––––
reluctantly conceded to take a portrait of the Leader
specifically for the visa application.

3. (S/NF) When ––––– began to search for proper
accommodations for Qadhafi, ––––– informed us that the Leader
must stay on the first floor of any facility that was rented for
him. (––––– separately told U.S. officials in Washington that
Qadhafi could not climb more than 35 steps.) ––––– cited this
requirement as the primary reason that the Libyan residence in
New Jersey was selected as the preferred accommodation site
rather than the Libyan PermRep's residence in New York City.
––––– also sought to find accommodations with room to pitch
Qadhafi's Bedouin tent, Qadhafi's traditional site for receiving
visitors and conducting meetings, as it offers him a non-verbal
way of communicating that he is a man close to his cultural
roots.

4. (S/NF) Qadhafi's dislike of long flights and apparent fear of
flying over water also caused logistical headaches for his
staff. When discussing flight clearances with Emboffs, –––––
explained that the Libyan delegation would arrive from Portugal,
as Qadhafi "cannot fly more than eight hours" and would need to
overnight in Europe prior to continuing his journey to New York.
––––– also revealed in the same conversation that Qadhafi
does not like to fly over water. Presumably for similar
reasons, Qadhafi's staff also requested a stop in Newfoundland
to break his travel from Venezuela to Libya on September 29.
[Note: The Government of Canada recently confirmed that the
Libyan delegation canceled plans to stop in Newfoundland. End
Note.]

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&nb

 

 

 

 

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