This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS HARARE 000512
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION IRAQ; HARARE
1. Under headline "Iraq issue hits at core of U.S., UK's
democratic claims" the March 12 edition of the independent
daily "The Daily News" carried an op-ed by Dida Halake, in
which he urged the United States and Britain to show
consideration for the outpouring of world opinion against a
war on Iraq. "Whatever happens in Iraq, it would indeed be
a tragedy if the world's Defender of Democracy (the U.S.)
and the Mother of Democracy (the UK), were to ride
roughshod over anti-war opinions of their own people and
those of the rest of the world," Halake stated. Excerpts:
2. "It is war, rather than love, that is occupying
people's minds right across the world. In over 600
cities, from Stockholm to Sydney and from Tokyo to
New York, millions and millions of people marched
against war on Valentine's Day. This was the
biggest demonstration on a single issue the world
has ever seen. . . The world has sent a clear
message: If Tony Blair and George Bush go to war,
without a new U.N. Security Council authorization,
then this is just Blair and Bush's war. The
casualty will not only be the innocents of Iraq, but
also the U.N. and the majority of the peoples of
America, Britain and the rest of the world.
Powerful rulers will have proved that the opinions
of their own people and the world do not matter and
that democracy is a shame. Whatever happens in
Iraq, it would indeed bee be a tragedy of the
world's Defender of Democracy (the U.S.) and the
Mother of Democracy (the UK), were to ride roughshod
over the clearly anti-war opinions of their own
people and those of the rest of the world."
SULLIVAN