US embassy cable - 02HARARE2316

UNCLAS HARARE 002316 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA 
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 ON THE U.S., UN AND IRAQ; 
HARARE 
 
  1.   Under headline "U.S. drums of war silenced - for 
      now" the government-controlled daily "Chronicle" 
      dedicated its October 21 editorial to applauding the 
      recent United Nations resolution regarding arms 
      inspection in Iraq. Excerpts: 
 
  2.   ". . .While we applaud the new UN resolution that 
      does not call for the automatic use of force against 
      Iraq if it does not meet the terms of the deal, we 
      are, however, concerned that the U.S. is threatening 
      to flout the UN resolution, thus seriously undermining 
      the world body and bringing into question its 
      relevance in world affairs. . .  This shows that the 
      U.S. does not feel bound by UN resolutions, and we do 
      not think the world body would be in a position to 
      censure the 
      U.S. in the event of unsanctioned military 
      strikes. . .  We believe the step taken by the 
      UN to force the U.S. into backtracking on the 
      threatened use of force against Baghdad is in 
      the right direction since it sends a clear 
      message to countries in the habit of meddling in 
      others' affairs that the world will not tolerate 
      that. . ." 
 
SULLIVAN