US embassy cable - 02HARARE1838

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Identifier:	02HARARE1838
Wikileaks:	View 02HARARE1838 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Harare
Created:	2002-08-15 06:28:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	PREL KMDR KPAO ZI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS HARARE 001838 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, INR/R/MR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KMDR, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT MUGABE ON TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS; HARARE 
 
  1.   Under headline "Mugabe vows to slap sanctions on EU, 
      U. S.," the August 13 edition of the independent daily "The 
      Daily News" carried the following article as its lead 
      story.  In the piece, President Mugabe promises to strike 
      back against the punitive travel restrictions imposed 
      against himself and members of his administration by the 
      United States, European Union and other Western countries: 
 
  2.   "President Mugabe yesterday (August 12) announced his 
      government would take measures against U. S. and E. U. 
      interests in Zimbabwe, in retaliation against their own 
      restrictions on him and his close allies.  Stung by U. S. 
      and E. U. travel bans and smart sanctions, Mugabe said in 
      an unusually emotional speech: `Britain, Europe and America 
      can impose sanctions or do worse devilish things.  Let 
      Europe, in the name of their monstrous `god,' banish all 
      the disabled, banish all wives, banish all children, all 
      brothers and sisters and all cousins of our men and women 
      of conscience.' 
 
      ". . .Mugabe said his government would in due course 
      implement its own phased but comprehensive measures 
      against countries that had imposed sanctions on his 
      government. . .'  We refuse to be hapless victims. 
      That is never the response of revolutionaries.  Just 
      as they regard their right to impose sanctions on us, 
      they should recognize that we reserve the right to 
      respond as best we know how.  They appear to have 
      forgotten that they also have interests here,' Mugabe 
      said. . .'  Let Europe's list grow by another 50, and 
      100, another thousand, another million. . .grow by 
      all but the puppets and stooges they sponsor here, 
      who gladden them by dancing to their tune.  But we 
      shall not budge, we shall not be deterred on this one 
      vital issue.  Shame to them. . . .!"' 
 
SULLIVAN