US embassy cable - 01HARARE3741

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Identifier:	01HARARE3741
Wikileaks:	View 01HARARE3741 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Harare
Created:	2001-12-17 20:06:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	ZI PREL PHUM
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS HARARE 003741 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/RA FOR SWANN, 
INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT PRESIDENTIAL POLL; HARARE 
 
 
1.   THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" USED ITS 
    DECEMBER 14 EDITORIAL TO URGE THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE TO 
    ALLOW AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AND INTERNATIONAL ELECTION 
    OBSERVERS TO SUPERVISE AND OBSERVE THE 2002 PRESIDENTIAL 
    POLL.  UNDER HEADLINE "AN ELECTION NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED 
    BY OTHERS," THE PAPER COMMENTS: 
 
2.   "A NUMBER OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES AMONG THEM THE U.S. AND 
    THE COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, HAVE THREATENED NOT TO 
    RECOGNIZE THE RESULT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO BE 
    HELD IN MARCH, IF THEY DEEM IT NOT TO HAVE BEEN FREE AND 
    FAIR.  AN ELECTION SUPERVISED BY AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION 
    COULD GIVE THE GOVERNMENT AN INTERNATIONAL IMAGE HIGHLY 
    COVETED BY ANY DEVELOPING COUNTRY HAVING DIFFICULT 
    BORROWING MONEY FROM ANYWHERE BECAUSE OF ITS PARIAH STATUS. 
    ALLOWING INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVERS INTO THE COUNTRY 
    WOULD ERASE IN ONE FELL SWOOP MUGABE'S ODIOUS REPUTATION OF 
    'A POWER-CRAZED, AGED DICTATOR,' TO QUOTE ED ROYCE, A U. S. 
    CONGRESSMAN.  IT WOULD DEMONSTRATE, ONCE AND FOR ALL, THAT 
    THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOTHING TO HIDE, THAT IT HAD ENOUGH 
    CONFIDENCE IN ITS POPULARITY WITH THE VOTERS NOT TO BE 
    FRIGHTENED OF A LEVEL ELECTION PLAYING FIELD.  BUT WHAT 
    THEY HAVE DONE, INSTEAD, IS TO HARP ON THE FACT THAT 
    ZIMBABWE IS A SOVEREIGN STATE WHICH WILL NOT BE DICTATED TO 
    BY OTHER COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY THE FORMER COLONIAL MASTER. 
    SOVEREIGNTY IS ALL VERY WELL, BUT IF IT TURNS THE COUNTRY 
    INTO A RENEGADE STATE, SHUNNED BY THE REST OF THE CIVILIZED 
    WORLD, IT'S HARDLY WORTHWHILE.  TO PUT IT MILDLY, THE 
    GOVERNMENT IS NERVOUS ABOUT GOING INTO AN ELECTION WHERE 
    THE PLAYING FIELD IS ABSOLUTELY LEVEL." 
 
SULLIVAN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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