Cablegate: Media Report Commonwealth Minister's Visit To

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

291246Z Oct 01

UNCLASSIFIED PTO0668

PAGE 01 HARARE 03235 291318Z
ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00
DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00
SAS-00 /003W
------------------36C1D4 291318Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0138
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 003235

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT COMMONWEALTH MINISTER'S VISIT TO
ZIMBABWE; HARARE

1. THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT"
DEDICATED ITS OCTOBER 25 EDITORIAL TO THE VISIT TO ZIMBABWE
THIS WEEK BY A TEAM FROM THE COMMONWEALTH. UNDER HEADLINE
"OPEN LETTER TO COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS," THE PAPER
COMMENTS:

2. "DURING YOUR FLEETING VISIT TO ZIMBABWE THERE WILL
HAVE BEEN A CONCERTED ATTEMPT IN OFFICIAL CIRCLES TO PULL
THE WOOL OVER YOUR EYES. YOU WILL HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE
ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT IS PROCEEDING TO ACQUIRE LAND IN A
LEGAL WAY, 'AS IT ALWAYS HAS DONE.' YOU WILL BE TOLD THAT
THERE IS FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND THAT ELECTIONS ARE
CONDUCTED ALONG LINES THAT PRODUCE A FREE AND FAIR POLL.
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL BELIEVE
ANYTHING. . . WE HOPE YOU WILL PROVE TO BE FRIENDS OF
ZIMBABWE. . .AND SPELL OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE."

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

>

© Scoop Media