Cablegate: Media Reaction U. S. Under Fire; Harare

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

271253Z Mar 02

UNCLASSIFIED PTO6338

PAGE 01 HARARE 00802 271310Z
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 EPAE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00
DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
------------------7B4108 271311Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1334
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000802

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 U. S. UNDER FIRE; HARARE

1. UNDER HEADLINE "PRESIDENT MUGABE IS OUR CHOICE,"
THE BULAWAYO-BASED GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY
"CHRONICLE" DEDICATED ITS MARCH 27 EDITORIAL TO
DENOUNCING THE UNITED STATES OVER ITS STANCE ON
ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENTIAL POLL. EXCERPTS:

2. "THE AMERICANS AND THEIR FRIENDS ELSEWHERE SEEM
NOT TO HAVE GOT THE MESSAGE FROM THE PEOPLE OF
ZIMBABWE, THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE IS OUR CHOICE AND HE
WILL LEAD THIS COUNTRY FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS, COME
RAIN OR SUNSHINE. IN THEIR TYPICAL BULLISH STYLE, THE
AMERICANS THINK THAT THEY CAN USE AID AS A WHIP TO
TURN AFRICANS AGAINST EACH OTHER. WE ARE GLAD THAT
SUCH EFFORTS, AS EXHIBITED BY THE U.S. YESTERDAY IN
NIGERIA, HAVE BEEN DISMISSED FOR THE HOT AIR THAT THEY
ARE. AND WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THEY WILL REMAIN PART
OF THE AMERICANS' WISHFUL THINKING. WE APPLAUD THE
SPECIAL ECONOMIC ADVISOR TO SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT
THABO MBEKI FOR TAKING EXCEPTION TO THE U.S. POSITION
THAT THE CONTINENT'S ENDORSEMENT OF PRESIDENT MUGABE'S
RE-ELECTION THREATENED WESTERN SUPPORT FOR THE NEW
PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT (NEPAD). THE
AMERICANS HAVE IN THE PAST DEMONSTRATED THEIR LACK OF
DEMOCRACY BY RESORTING TO THE COURTS TO DECIDE WHO
WILL LEAD THEM WHEN THE OPTION OF AN ELECTION RE-RUN
WAS CLEAR. NOW THEY WANT TO PREACH DEMOCRACY TO US
WHEN WE JUST HELD FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN WHICH
THEIR CANDIDATE, MR. MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, WAS TROUNCED.
WE ADVISE THE AMERICANS TO WITHHOLD THEIR MONEY IF IT
WILL BE USED TO DESTROY DEMOCRACY AND CREATE A
DEPENDENCY ON DONOR FUNDS. IF THE IDEA OF NEPAD IS TO
PERPETUATE THE MYTH THAT INVESTORS WILL NOT COME
UNCLASSIFIED

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UNLESS WE SUBMIT TO DENIGRATION, WE UNEQUIVOCALLY TELL
THE AMERICANS TO LOOK ELSEWHERE BECAUSE WE DO NOT NEED
DIRTY MONEY."

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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