The United States has given notice that it intends pressing the United Nations Security Council to take stronger action against the government of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe in the coming week. The following is an excerpt from a U.S. State Department briefing by spokesman Sean McCormack on Friday:
You mentioned that the Secretary [of State, Condoleezza Rice] is going to talk about Zimbabwe when she's up there [at the United Nations in New York this week]. What are you hoping -- are you hoping to come up with a new resolution on Zimbabwe? What are you crafting?
MCCORMACK: We're in discussions with members of the Security Council as to what the Security Council as a body might do. Thus far, the Council has not really been willing to take meaningful action, and that's been unfortunate. We have spoken out quite clearly and forcefully about that. We'll see if attitudes have changed. We hope they have. The number of cases of cholera, statements from Robert Mugabe notwithstanding, is going up, not down. The crisis has not ended. People's lives are in danger. And what we want to do is to start a process that will bring an end to the tragedy that is unfolding in Zimbabwe.
But how are you going to do that? Has the Secretary, for example, called the South Africans? I think [U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe James] McGee called it, you know, the big dog on the block who wasn't really doing very much.
McCormack: Right, right. We're talking to the South Africans. And like I said, I'm not going to rule out the Secretary making some phone calls before she goes up to New York. We'll see, and we'll keep you informed of those.
Well, why doesn't she just pick up the phone and call them? What's holding her back?
McCormack: Well, what's holding back South Africa from acting or other states from acting? So yeah, certainly, if it were merely a matter of the Secretary making a phone call, I'm sure that phone call would have already been made. That said, we are talking to South African - South Africa as well as other states. And I - that diplomacy will continue, and I certainly wouldn't count out the fact of that phone call coming.
There have been some quotes from South African officials saying that they're trying to - trying to convince Mugabe to retire. Is that what the U.S. is trying to work with the South Africans on, trying to get him to retire?
McCormack: It's time for him to go. Those are the words of Secretary Rice. You have a statement from --
I know, but are there - is there diplomacy working to try and get - to try and - I mean, there is a difference between saying he's - go and trying to arrange the conditions for him to leave. I mean --
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McCormack: You'll have to talk to the South Africans as to what they're doing. Yeah.
Do you think it would be a good idea for neighboring countries to Zimbabwe to close their borders and to sort of blockade?
McCormack: Look, I'm not going to prescribe any one particular action here. They - these countries have leverage. And they have leverage that, you know, could - is of a different means than just closing the borders. They have political leverage. Robert Mugabe probably could not continue on in the position that he is in without some form of political support for him from neighboring states and states on the continent. We have made it quite clear where we stand, and I think many, many other states in the international system have made it quite clear where we stand.
So you talk about various kinds of leverage. There are all kinds of different levers, and I'm not going to prescribe any one particular lever. But we do know, as a fact, that states in the region have at their disposal unused leverage, which we would urge them to use in this case, because the situation in Zimbabwe is not getting any better and people are dying.
But are you looking at acting against South Africa because of their lack of action? Is that something you --
McCormack: No, South Africa is a friend. And ultimately, they bear responsibility for whatever actions they decide to take or not to take. As a friend, we have urged them to take action. But ultimately, they're going to have to decide their own course of action.
