Cablegate: Embassy Announces Temporary Suspension of Peace

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

160918Z Nov 01

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ1178

PAGE 01 HARARE 03437 161002Z
ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00
OIGO-00 UTED-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01
L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 PA-00
PC-01 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00
SS-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00
DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /007W
------------------3F2A60 161002Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0298

UNCLAS HARARE 003437

SIPDIS

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

DEPT FOR AF/S (DELISI, SCHLACHTER), AF/RA (SWANN), AF/PD
(SANDERS, ROBERTSON COX)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO ZI
SUBJECT: EMBASSY ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF PEACE
CORPS PROGRAM IN ZIMBABWE

1. ON NOVEMBER 15, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT
OF ZIMBABWE AND THE DELIVERY OF A DIPLOMATIC NOTE TO THE
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, THE EMBASSY ANNOUNCED THE
TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF THE PEACE CORPS PROGRAM IN
ZIMBABWE. FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THAT ANNOUNCEMENT. THE
LANGUAGE IN THE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWED VERY CLOSELY
THAT OF THE DIPLOMATIC NOTE.

2. BEGIN TEXT OF PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: FOLLOWING
CONSULTATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE, AND WITH
GREAT REGRET, THE U.S. EMBASSY ANNOUNCES THE TEMPORARY
SUSPENSION OF THE PEACE CORPS PROGRAM IN ZIMBABWE. THE
EMBASSY REGRETS THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE'S FAILURE TO
PROVIDE WORK PERMITS FOR VOLUNTEER TEACHERS, AS STIPULATED
IN THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE
PEACE CORPS, FOLLOWING A THREE-MONTH TRAINING PERIOD IN
ZIMBABWE FOR THE VOLUNTEERS IN QUESTION. BECAUSE OF THE
LONG LEAD-TIME NEEDED FOR SELECTION AND TRAINING OF
QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS TO FILL THE SPECIALIZED POSITIONS, THE
EMBASSY REQUIRES ASSURANCES THAT THE TRAINEES SELECTED IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT
THEIR WORK.

ABSENT SUCH ASSURANCES, THE EMBASSY BELIEVES IT IS PRUDENT
TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND PEACE CORPS OPERATIONS IN ZIMBABWE.
THE EMBASSY AND THE PEACE CORPS HOPE TO CONSULT FURTHER
WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AT A MUTUALLY AGREED FUTURE
DATE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RESUMING WHAT HAS BEEN A
MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF
ZIMBABWE AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. END TEXT OF
ANNOUNCEMENT.

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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