Cablegate: Media Report: Zimbabwe Reacts to Eu Concern

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

UNCLASSIFIED PTO8403

PAGE 01 HARARE 03253 311244Z
ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00
DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
------------------37EA3B 311244Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0161
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 003253

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P,
INR/R/MR, NSC JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT: ZIMBABWE REACTS TO EU CONCERN
ABOUT FAIR ELECTIONS

1. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD"
DEDICATED ITS OCTOBER 31 EDITORIAL TO THE STANDOFF
BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE EUROPEAN
UNION OVER OBSERVERS FOR NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION. UNDER HEADLINE "EU BULLDOZING STANCE
UNFORTUNATE," THE PAPER COMMENTS:

2. ". . .WHAT IS UNACCEPTABLE IS THE DEMAND. . .BY
THE EU AND SEEMINGLY BY THE COMMONWEALTH TO BE ALLOWED
TO MONITOR ELECTIONS, AND THIS MONITORING TO START
IMMEDIATELY, BEFORE EVEN THE ZIMBABWEAN AUTHORITIES
KNOW WHEN THE ELECTION WILL BE HELD. . . ZIMBABWE IS
AN INDEPENDENT SOVEREIGN STATE. IT CANNOT LET OTHERS
DECIDE WHAT IT WILL OR WILL NOT DO. . . WE ALSO HOPE
THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT, WHILE REMAINING FIRM
THAT THE DECISION IS OURS ALONE, WILL NOT LET THE
PREVIOUS EU RUDENESS AFFECT ITS DECISION. SIMILARLY
THE COMMONWEALTH SHOULD DITCH ITS UNILATERAL PLAN FOR
MONITORING POLLS AND ASK THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT FOR
PERMISSION TO SEND A TEAM TO OBSERVE THE ELECTIONS WHEN
THESE ARE ANNOUNCED. . . GRANDSTANDING AND TRYING TO
IMPLEMENT WHAT LOOKS LIKE A HIDDEN AGENDA DOES FAR MORE
HARM THAN GOOD. OBSERVERS CAN ONLY BE HERE TO SEE HOW
WELL ELECTIONS ARE RUN. . . ."

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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