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


 

                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTO8403

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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0161
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 003253 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, 
INR/R/MR, NSC JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT: ZIMBABWE REACTS TO EU CONCERN 
ABOUT FAIR ELECTIONS 
 
¶1.   THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" 
   DEDICATED ITS OCTOBER 31 EDITORIAL TO THE STANDOFF 
   BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE EUROPEAN 
   UNION OVER OBSERVERS FOR NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL 
   ELECTION.  UNDER HEADLINE "EU BULLDOZING STANCE 
   UNFORTUNATE," THE PAPER COMMENTS: 
 
¶2.   ". . .WHAT IS UNACCEPTABLE IS THE DEMAND. . .BY 
   THE EU AND SEEMINGLY BY THE COMMONWEALTH TO BE ALLOWED 
   TO MONITOR ELECTIONS, AND THIS MONITORING TO START 
   IMMEDIATELY, BEFORE EVEN THE ZIMBABWEAN AUTHORITIES 
   KNOW WHEN THE ELECTION WILL BE HELD. . .  ZIMBABWE IS 
   AN INDEPENDENT SOVEREIGN STATE.  IT CANNOT LET OTHERS 
   DECIDE WHAT IT WILL OR WILL NOT DO. . .  WE ALSO HOPE 
   THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT, WHILE REMAINING FIRM 
   THAT THE DECISION IS OURS ALONE, WILL NOT LET THE 
   PREVIOUS EU RUDENESS AFFECT ITS DECISION.  SIMILARLY 
   THE COMMONWEALTH SHOULD DITCH ITS UNILATERAL PLAN FOR 
   MONITORING POLLS AND ASK THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT FOR 
   PERMISSION TO SEND A TEAM TO OBSERVE THE ELECTIONS WHEN 
   THESE ARE ANNOUNCED. . .  GRANDSTANDING AND TRYING TO 
   IMPLEMENT WHAT LOOKS LIKE A HIDDEN AGENDA DOES FAR MORE 
   HARM THAN GOOD.  OBSERVERS CAN ONLY BE HERE TO SEE HOW 
   WELL ELECTIONS ARE RUN. . . ." 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
>