US embassy cable - 01HARARE3798

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MEDIA REPORT -- MUGABE CRITICIZES U.S. IN STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS

Identifier: 01HARARE3798
Wikileaks: View 01HARARE3798 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2001-12-19 13:47:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: ZI PREL PHUM
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

191347Z Dec 01

 

                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTO2409

PAGE 01        HARARE  03798  191447Z 
ACTION INR-00   

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  
      DS-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  LAB-01   
      VCE-00   NSAE-00  TEST-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /004W
                  ------------------4DBF22  191448Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0590
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
UNCLAS HARARE 003798 
 
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  -- MUGABE CRITICIZES U.S. IN STATE 
OF THE NATION ADDRESS 
 
 
1.   PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE DEDICATED SEVERAL MINUTES OF 
   HIS DECEMBER 18 STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS TO CRITICISM OF 
   THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT (ZDERA). 
   MUGABE DESCRIBED THE BILL AS "REPUGNANT AND PROVOCATIVE" 
   AND SAID THAT IT WAS ".A BOLD INSULT TO THE PEOPLE OF 
   ZIMBABWE. AN INTOLERABLE INSULT TO THIS HOUSE (THE 
   PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE)." MUGABE'S CRITICISM WAS DIRECTED 
   PRIMARILY AT THE U.S. CONGRESS, ESPECIALLY AT SENATOR 
   HELMS, AND CHARACTERIZED ZDERA AS AN ASSAULT ON ZIMBABWE'S 
   SOVEREIGNTY. 
 
2.   THE DECEMBER 19 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED 
   "HERALD" GAVE MUGABE'S SPEECH FRONT-PAGE PLAY UNDER THE 
   HEADLINE "PRESIDENT SLAMS U.S."  SUB-HEADS READ 
   "SOVEREIGNTY UNDER THREAT -- SANCTIONS BID REPUGNANT, 
   PROVOCATIVE." 
 
3.   STATE-CONTROLLED ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING CORPORATION 
   (ZBC) RADIO AND TELEVISION LED THEIR DECEMBER 18 AND 19 
   NEWS PROGRAMS WITH REPORTS ON THE STATE OF THE NATION 
   SPEECH.  ZBC REPORTING EMPHASIZED PRESIDENT MUGABE'S 
   ASSERTION THAT ZDERA STEMS FROM AN AMERICAN DESIRE TO 
   "PUNISH" ZIMBABWE FOR ITS LAND REFORM EFFORTS. 
 
4.   THE DECEMBER 19 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE 
   DAILY NEWS" ALSO CARRIED AN ARTICLE ABOUT MUGABE'S ADDRESS, 
   BUT PUBLISHED IT ON PAGE 2 UNDER HEADLINE "MUGABE EVADES 
   KEY ISSUES."  THE "DAILY NEWS" REPORT FOCUSSED ON ISSUES 
   SUCH AS ZIMBABWE'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLITICAL 
   VIOLENCE, ISSUES THE PAPER CLAIMS MUGABE OVERLOOKED IN HIS 
   ADDRESS.  THE PAPER DID REPORT ON MUGABE'S CRITICISM OF THE 
   U.S., BUT GAVE IT ONLY ONE SENTENCE AT THE END OF THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03798  191447Z 
   STORY. 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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