Cablegate: Media Reaction Droc: Harare

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

UNCLAS HARARE 002013

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 PHUM KPAO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION DROC: HARARE

1. Under headline "Zim troops return as heroes" the
government-controlled daily "The Herald" dedicated its
September 3 editorial to urging the United Nations to
deploy "more peacekeeping forces" into the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) "to avoid the creation of a
vacuum," as Zimbabwean troops begin pulling out of that
country. Excerpts:

2. ". . .As the army (Zimbabwe National Army) begins
pulling out of the DRC it leaves behind a legacy of
military professionalism. The new DRC army that emerges
after the war will no doubt try to emulate the high
standards set by the Zimbabweans. . . .Zimbabwe
committed resources and soldiers to the DRC war and should
benefit economically as peace returns to the Congo. . .
The business opportunities would have been non-existent if
the army had not flown into the DRC as rebels advanced.
. . .Zimbabwean troops are, therefore, returning as heroes
who on one hand successfully defended the territorial
integrity and sovereignty of the DRC while on the other
opened a new economic frontier for the country.

". . .Had Uganda and Rwanda's military adventures
and expansionist policies been successful, a
terrible precedent would have been set with
disastrous consequences for the continent. The
intervention of SADC was, therefore, necessary and
justified. For peace to continue to hold, it is now
critical that the United Nations deploys more
peacekeeping forces to avoid the creation of a
vacuum. While the Congolese people chart the
political destiny of their country the UN should not
let them down by dragging its feet in dispatching
thousands of peacekeeping forces. The peace that is
now being enjoyed in the Congo came at a heavy price
and the UN has to play its part in moving the peace
process forward. . . ."

SULLIVAN

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