US embassy cable - 02HARARE1880

UNCLAS HARARE 001880 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, INR/R/MR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KMDR, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT "ZIM WITHDRAWAL FROM DRC;" HARARE 
 
 
  1.   Under headline "Zim withdrawal from DRC" the 
      independent weekly "The Sunday Mirror" dedicated its August 
      14 editorial to welcoming the withdrawal of Zimbabwean 
      troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  "Now 
      that peace is possible in the DRC, the U. N. Security 
      Council should be more pro-active and speed up the peace 
      process," the editorial directed.   Excerpts: 
 
  2.   "The announcement by President Mugabe that Zimbabwean 
      troops would soon withdraw from the DRC should be welcome 
      news, not only for the soldiers and their families, but 
      also for those who never wanted to see Zimbabwean troops in 
      the DRC in the first place.  There are also those who have 
      not positively contributed to the DRC peace process, citing 
      the presence of foreign troops as their reason for not 
      participating.  The U. N. Security Council troops have not 
      been effectively deployed, mainly because the U. S. A. did 
      not wish U. N. troops to be deployed side by side with 
      Zimbabwean forces.  Ironically, as it turned out, those U. 
      N. troops who were put in positions felt much safer and 
      were able to discharge their duties more effectively in 
      areas where Zimbabwean troops were deployed. . .Now, the 
      DRC conflict is about to end, the security concerns of the 
      invaders are being addressed, and the Zimbabwean troops are 
      moving out.  It is now hoped that the tradition of standing 
      together in time of need extends to the rest of Africa, not 
      only in matters of defense, but also in all other areas 
      that constitute the building blocs of continental unity and 
      development.  In this regard, Zimbabwe has made an immense 
      contribution which succeeding generations of Africans will 
      acknowledge.  Now that peace is possible in the DRC, the U. 
      N. Security Council should be more pro-active and speed up 
      the peace process.  We hope that the SADC allied force -and 
      Zimbabwe in particular - will keep a watchful eye on a 
      process which could not have begun in earnest were it not 
      for their intervention that saved the DRC in 1998." 
 
WHITEHEAD