US embassy cable - 03HARARE1732

UNCLAS HARARE 001732 
 
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 PAPER REBUTS "HERALD" STORY; HARARE 
 
  1.   The August 29 edition of the independent weekly the 
      "Zimbabwe Independent" carried an article rebutting 
      a front-page article in the August 28 edition of the 
      government-controlled daily "The Herald" that 
      deliberately mis-reported and quoted out of context 
      a most recent United States Institute of Peace 
      report on the political situation in Zimbabwe. 
      Under headline "U. S. Institute urges sustained 
      pressure" the newspaper carried the following 
      article by Dumisani Muleya on page 2: 
 
  2.   "A negotiated political settlement between ZANU PF and 
      the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) offers 
      Zimbabwe the most credible chance for a resolution of the 
      current crisis, U. S. research institute has said.  But it 
      urged the international community to maintain pressure on 
      Harare. . .It said the balance of political forces at the 
      moment made the environment for crisis talks ideal. 
      Although ZANU PF is still in control through the use of 
      force, it is not able to rescue the country from the crisis 
      on its own.  As for the MDC, it has widespread support of 
      the people but has no capacity to impose itself on power. . 
      .The report noted that President Robert Mugabe was a 
      hindrance to change.  `There is a growing consensus that 
      Mugabe is the stumbling block to constructive dialogue, 
      although increased calls for his resignation may have the 
      unintended effect of strengthening his resolve to stay in 
      power,' it said. . . ." 
 
SULLIVAN