US embassy cable - 03HARARE1418

UNCLAS HARARE 001418 
 
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: PREL, KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO AFRICA; 
HARARE 
 
  1.   Under headline "Africa must resist West's 
      machinations" the government-controlled daily "Chronicle" 
      dedicated its July 3 editorial to accusing Washington of 
      conspiring to unseat Robert Mugabe and his government. 
      Excerpts: 
 
  2.   ". . .Mr. Bush's African visit. . .seems to have 
      renewed the puppet (opposition Movement for 
      Democratic Change ) party's false hopes of entering 
      State House through the backdoor. . .America, which 
      claims to be the champion of democracy, is calling 
      for the toppling of the constitutionally elected 
      government of Zimbabwe. . .Is the violent removal of 
      a democratically elected government not terrorism of 
      the worst kind?  America claims to be fighting 
      terrorism on one hand and openly declaring 
      intentions to topple legitimately elected 
      governments on the other.  The world has had enough 
      of these double standards.  We salute the position 
      taken by Botswana and Zambia that the two 
      neighboring countries would not allow their 
      countries to be used as launch pads by the 
      blood-thirsty America in its bid to effect regime 
      change in Zimbabwe.  For how long should America be 
      left to abuse its superiority and bully other 
      nations with impunity?" 
 
SULLIVAN