Cablegate: Media Reaction President Bush On "Captive Nations

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

UNCLAS HARARE 001477

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 ON "CAPTIVE NATIONS
WEEK"; HARARE

1. Under headline "Africa must resist" the
government-controlled Bulawayo-based weekly "Sunday
News" dedicated its July 20 editorial to criticizing
President George W. Bush for including Zimbabwe on
the list of country's he said, in a proclamation to
mark "Captive Nations Week," were guilty of
oppression and human rights abuses. Excerpts:

2. "On Friday, in the aftermath of his road show in
Africa, President George W. Bush demonized Zimbabwe
accusing the government of `violence, corruption and
mismanagement.' When a United States President who
came to power through electoral fraud decides to
bully an African country from his base in Texas yet
he had a golden opportunity to confront Zimbabwe
head-on when he toured Africa. . .the world should
question his racist convictions. In a proclamation
issued to mark `captive nations week. . .' the
warmongering cowboy directed his rightwing insults
at Zimbabwe, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Belarus and
Myanmar. . .For Africa, the announcement of this
so-called blacklist is a non-event. That is why
Africa refused to be bullied and actually elected
President Mugabe Vice-Chairman of the African Union
during the meddlesome U. S. leader's visit to the
continent. Less than two and a half years after he
came to power. . .President Bush has been dismal.
Instead of pursuing enlightened policies abroad, he
has championed imperial conquest. Thankfully,
Africa has resisted this onslaught."

SULLIVAN

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