US embassy cable - 03HARARE241

UNCLAS HARARE 000241 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: "AFRICAN DIPLOMATS" CRITICIZE TRAVEL WARNING 
 
  1.   A page-onearticle in the February 1 edition of 
the government-owned daily "The Herald" claims that 
"African heads of missions in Zimbabwe" are critical 
of the January 27 U.S. travel warning on Zimbabwe. 
Excerpts follow: 
 
  2.   "African ambassadors and High Commissioners 
accredited to Zimbabwe have lambasted the United 
States Government's call for its citizens not to 
visit Zimbabwe saying the move was a deliberate ploy 
to derail the hosting of World Cup Cricket matches 
to be played in the country this month.  The diplomats 
said the travel warning by the U.S. government was 
misleading because the current situation in the 
country did not pose any security threat to anyone who 
wished to visit Zimbabwe.  In a statement, the African 
Group of Ambassadors and High Commissioners said they 
were deeply concerned about the U.S. warning, as it 
did not give a true picture of the real situation 
prevailing in the country. In fact, Zimbabwe as a destination is far 
safer than the security situation obtained in some capitals of 
those countries that are on the forefront of isolating 
Zimbabwe,' read part of the statement issued by the 
Dean of the African Heads of Missions, Mr. Ndali-Che 
Kamati (Namibia's High Commissioner to Zimbabwe) . . . 
We believe that this is not the time to isolate 
Zimbabwe, but rather engage the Zimbabwe government 
with the view to finding solutions to the challenges 
currently facing the country. . . .'" 
 
      3.  Comment: The "Herald's" assertion to the 
contrary, conversation over the weekend with some 
African ambassadors makes it clear that the statement 
from the Namibian ambassador was not cleared by all of 
his African colleagues.  End comment. 
 
SULLIVAN