Cablegate: Media Report -- Commonwealth Actions On

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

041458Z Feb 02

UNCLASSIFIED PTO7013

PAGE 01 HARARE 00303 041512Z
ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00
EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
------------------61B3F8 041513Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0861
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000303

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/RA FOR
SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT -- COMMONWEALTH ACTIONS ON
ZIMBABWE; HARARE

1. UNDER HEADLINE "DANGEROUS TO LET ZIMBABWE OFF THE
HOOK AT THIS STAGE," THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY
NEWS" DEDICATED ITS FEBRUARY 1 EDITORIAL TO CAUTIONING
THE COMMONWEALTH ABOUT ITS DECISION NOT TO EXPEL
ZIMBABWE FROM THE ORGANIZATION. EXCERPTS FOLLOW:

2. ". . . AT ONE LEVEL, THE CMAG DECISION TO HOLD OFF
THE SUSPENSION COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS, EMBOLDENING
ZANU PF INTO A COCKINESS THAT MIGHT TRANSLATE INTO THE
ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE OPPOSITION AND OTHER
DETRACTORS. AT ANOTHER LEVEL, THE DECISION COULD FORCE
ZANU PF TO SHOW ITS TRUE INTENTIONS. IF THE PARTY IS
BEING HONEST WITH THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE EUROPEAN
UNION (EU), THEN THE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE OPPOSITION
SHOULD END IMMEDIATELY. IF IT DOESN'T END, THEN
EVERYBODY, EVEN THE NIGERIANS AND THE SOUTH AFRICANS IN
THE COMMONWEALTH. . .MUST KNOW THAT MUGABE HAS ONCE
AGAIN PULLED THE WOOL OVER THEIR EYES. THE BOTTOM LINE
FOR THIS FLURRY OF ACTIVITY IS THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY FREE AND FAIR. . . ."

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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