Cablegate: Media Reaction Zim's Suspension From

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

220811Z Mar 02

UNCLASSIFIED PTO0866

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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 LAB-01
VCE-00 NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
------------------78F374 220828Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1295
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000751

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND
SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI
FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ZIM'S SUSPENSION FROM
COMMONWEALTH HARARE

1. MARCH 22 EDITORIALS IN TWO MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS
DISCUSS AT LENGTH ZIMBABWE'S 12-MONTH SUSPENSION FROM
THE COMMONWEALTH. EXCERPTS FOLLOW:

2. "WHAT KIND OF DEMOCRACY IS THIS?" THE GOVERNMENT-
CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" (03/22) COMMENTS:

"THE BRITISH AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SO-CALLED
WHITE COMMONWEALTH HAVE ACHIEVED WHAT THEY HAVE
BEEN FIGHTING FOR - SUSPENSION OF ZIMBABWE FROM THE
54-MEMBER ORGANIZATION. . . WE KNOW, TOO, THAT
THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE ANTI-ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT
CAMPAIGN BY THE BRITISH AND ITS WESTERN ALLIES. . .
WHILE THE COMMONWEALTH SUSPENSION IS LARGELY
SYMBOLIC, IT NEVERTHELESS OPENS THE WAY FOR RABID
WESTERN RACISTS TO ACT AGAINST ZIMBABWE ON THE
BASIS OF THIS CENSURE. . . SOLIDARITY FROM THE
AFRICAN CONTINENT AND THE UNITY OF ALL ZIMBABWEANS
WILL CERTAINLY SEE US THROUGH THIS SUSPENSION AND
THE SANCTIONS BEING SOLICITED BY THE FORMER
COLONIAL WEST."

3. "DANKIE SUID-AFRIKA, SIYABONGA, RE A LEBOGA,"
THE
INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" (03/22)
COMMENTS:

". . .ON MONDAY PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI, ACCOMPANIED
BY HIS NIGERIAN COUNTERPART OLUSEGUN OBASANJO,
TRIED TO INTEREST ZIMBABWE'S LEADERSHIP IN
SOMETHING DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF SOUTH AFRICAN
UNCLASSIFIED

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POLITICIANS, A GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY. . .
BOTH LEADERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT NEPAD, THEIR NEW
PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WHICH
STANDS NO CHANCE OF SUCCESS IF PRESIDENT MUGABE
CONTINUES TO BEHAVE AS DELINQUENT RULER WITH LITTLE
REGARD FOR THE LIVES OR WELFARE OF HIS CITIZENS. .
. MBEKI AND OBASANJO SAID IN LONDON THEY INTEND TO
REMAIN 'ENGAGED' IN THE SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION TO
ZIMBABWE'S CRISIS. THIS SAYS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT
MUGABE'S CLAIMS TO LEGITIMACY BASED ON HIS ELECTION
'WIN.' . . .(IN THE) SPACE OF LITTLE UNDER A WEEK,
SOUTH AFRICA'S ATTEMPT TO RECOGNIZE THE ELECTION
OUTCOME AND PERSUADE THE VICTOR TO BE ACCOMMODATING
HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
BALLGAME IN WHICH THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY HAS
BECOME THE CHIEF GOAL, BACKED BY THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY. THIS WILL COME AS A SHOCK TO THE SOUTH
AFRICANS. BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR THE WAY
THINGS HAVE TURNED OUT!"

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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