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

180943Z Jul 03

UNCLAS HARARE 001463 
 
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'S VISIT TO AFRICA; 
HARARE 
 
 
  ¶1.   President George W. Bush's visit to Africa remains a 
      core issue for discussion in op-ed and opinion 
      pieces being carried in some of the leading 
      newspapers in Zimbabwe.  Excerpts follow: 
 
  ¶2.   Under headline "U. S. seeks to strengthen its position 
      in Africa" the government controlled daily "The Herald" 
      (07/18) carried the following op-ed by Chris Talbot: 
 
      "U. S. President Bush's African tour was something 
      of a public relations debacle. . .His attempt to 
      project a compassionate image was, to put mildly, 
      less than convincing. . .If Bush hoped his visit 
      would dispel the image of the U. S. as a 
      warmongering bully, he was mistaken. . .Bush's Aids 
      initiative is really about strengthening the U. S. 
      position in Africa at the expense of imperialist 
      rivals such as France and boosting the position of 
      American-based corporations. . .The much-hyped Aids 
      proposals are part of a bid to shoehorn U. S. 
      corporations into Africa, oust foreign competitors 
      and stamp out domestic enterprises. . .The U. S. 
      initiative, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act 
      (AGOA), which was touted by Bush throughout his 
      visit, is part of the same unilateralist corporate 
      agenda. . .The U. S. drive into Africa is not only 
      economic.  It also involves establishing a much 
      greater military presence under the guise of the war 
      on terror.  This will give the U. S. control over 
      key resources such as oil and provide it with a more 
      rapid global reach. . . ." 
 
  ¶3.   Under headline "Cowardly to expect Bush to liberate 
      us" the independent daily "The Daily News" (07/18) carried 
      the following opinion piece by Saul Gwakuba Ndhlovu, under 
      his weekly column "A view from Matopos" published on page 
      10: 
 
      "United States President George W. Bush's visit last 
      week. . .generated a great deal of interest and 
      raised expectations among Zimbabweans about his 
      country's role in solving Zimbabwe's socio-political 
      problems.  For quite a long time, many Zimbabweans 
      have been praying and hoping that either the U. S. 
      or Britain would intervene militarily in the country 
      to remove the ZANU PF regime and replace it with a 
      democratic government. . .(South African President 
      Thabo) Mbeki has repeatedly publicly stated that 
      South Africa would not intervene in Zimbabwean 
      problems because they are an internal issue and 
      thus, must be solved by Zimbabweans themselves. . 
      .The cornerstone of the South African government's 
      policy on Zimbabwe is simple: Zimbabweans must solve 
      their own problems. . .Bust some Zimbabweans still 
      continue to look for saviors from across their 
      borders. . .!  It has never been clear to me why 
      some of us would like either the South Africans or 
      Americans or Britons to spend their money and time 
      and risk their precious lives for the sake of our 
      freedom and prosperity. . .The answer is simply that 
      we are cowards!  We have decided to turn our 
      criticism and anger on Mbeki. . .It is important to 
      face the truth, however bitter it is.  We are our 
      own enemies by being very poor administrators and 
      craven cowards. . .All that Mbeki is telling us is 
      to stand up and reclaim our freedom from those we 
      believe to have usurped it. . . ." 
 
SULLIVAN