Cablegate: Media Reaction Iraq; Harare

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

100904Z Feb 03

UNCLAS HARARE 000277

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 PHUM KPAO KMDR ZI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION IRAQ; HARARE

1. Under headline "Africa opposes war on Iraq" the
pro-government weekly "The Sunday Mirror"
dedicated its February 9 editorial to
reiterating the anti-war positions taken by the
African Union (AU) and former South African
President, Nelson Mandela. Excerpts:

2. "Two days before American Secretary of State,
Colin Powell presented his `evidence' of Iraq's
supposed `material breach' of U. N. Resolution 1441,
the African Union (AU) issued a declaration against
the planned war on Iraq. The AU is of the opinion
that military confrontation wit Iraq would be a
destabilizing factor not only for the Middle East, but
for the whole of Africa as well. Even after the much
awaited and largely disappointing speech by Colin
Powell, African leaders are not convinced that war on
Iraq is necessary. In response to Powell, the South
African government issued a statement warning the U.
S. not to rush into war, as such an action would be
catastrophic. The African condemnation of the American
war on Iraq has been strongly expressed by the former
South African President, Nelson Mandela. The African
statesman said that Powell's presentation was not
convincing and that only the U.N. inspectors can
determine whether or not Iraq possesses any weapons of
mass destruction. Mandela summed up the general
feeling of the anti-war group when he said: `One power
with a president who has no foresight and cannot think
properly is now wanting to plunge the world into a
holocaust.'"

SULLIVAN

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