This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
051430Z Sep 01
UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9574
PAGE 01 HARARE 02620 051458Z
ACTION INR-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00
DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 IO-00
LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 IRM-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00
DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9649
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS HARARE 002620
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR
JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION U. N. RACE CONFERENCE; HARARE
1. THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED ITS
SEPTEMBER 5 EDITORIAL TO THE U. N. CONFERENCE ON RACISM IN
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA. UNDER HEADLINE "DURBAN CONFERENCE:
VICTORY FOR RACISM WOULD BE GHASTLY," THE EDITORIAL COMMENTS:
2. "MANY PEOPLE WOULD NOT HELP SYMPATHIZING WITH THE SOUTH
AFRICAN PRESIDENT, THABO MBEKI, IF THE UNITED NATIONS
CONFERENCE ON RACISM. . .ENDS UP WITHOUT A SINGLE AND
SINCERELY UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION ON HOW TO TACKLE THE SCOURGE
WORLDWIDE. RADICALS ON THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUE OF ZIONISM
BEING EQUATED WITH RACISM AND THE EQUALLY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE
OF REPARATIONS FOR SLAVERY MAY NOT HAVE HIJACKED THE ENTIRE
CONFERENCE, BUT THEY CERTAINLY HAVE MUDDIED THE WATERS,
ENOUGH TO REDUCE VERY SERIOUSLY THE CHANCES OF A CONSENSUS ON
BOTH ISSUES AT THE END OF THE CONFERENCE LATER THIS WEEK.
THE WALKOUT BY THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAELI DELEGATIONS IS
TO BE DEEPLY REGRETTED, BUT THE CONFERENCE MUST SLOG ON,
DETERMINED TO END ON AN OPTIMISTIC NOTE, HOWEVER
PROBLEMATICAL THAT MAY BE. A VICTORY FOR RACISM, XENOPHOBIA
AND INTOLERANCE, WHICH THE ABSENCE OF CONSENSUS WOULD
DEFINITELY SIGNAL TO THE WORLD, IS TOO GHASTLY TO
CONTEMPLATE. ALL THE HOPES FOR A RELATIVELY UNITED, HATE-
FREE GLOBAL VILLAGE AS WE BEGIN THIS THIRD MILLENNIUM, WOULD
BE SHATTERED FOR A LONG TIME TO COME IF THE DELEGATES FAILED
TO ENDORSE UNANIMOUSLY A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING RACISM AND ITS
ALLIED
CURSES. . .IT WOULD BE TRAGIC IF THE AFRICANS AND THEIR
ALLIES, DEMANDING REPARATIONS FOR SLAVERY, BECAME SO OBDURATE
THEY REFUSED TO LISTEN TO THE MODERATE VOICE OF NIGERIA'S
PRESIDENT, OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, WHO HAS SAID AN APOLOGY WOULD
BE ENOUGH. . .REPARATIONS CANNOT BE ULTIMATE PANACEA FOR THE
CONTINENT'S POVERTY. ALL SELF-RESPECTING AFRICAN LEADERS
MUST KNOW THAT ONLY THEY AND THEY ALONE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT ON
UNCLASSIFIED
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ENDING POVERTY. . . ."
ROTH
UNCLASSIFIED
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