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