MEDIA REPORT ABUJA COMMONWEALTH FOLLOW-UP;

UNCLAS HARARE 003241 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S, AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT ABUJA COMMONWEALTH FOLLOW-UP; HARARE ¶1. FOLLOWING THE VISIT LAST WEEK BY A COMMONWEALTH TEAM TO ZIMBABWE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE COUNTRY IS MEETING ITS COMMITMENTS UNDER A NIGERIAN-LED LAND AGREEMENT SIGNED IN ABUJA ON SEPTEMBER 6, ALL THREE SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 28 CARRIED EDITORIALS CENTERING ON THE MEETING IN HARARE: ¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "ZIMBABWE IS A SOVEREIGN STATE," THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" COMMENTS: ". . .WHY SHOULD FOREIGNERS COME HERE TO MONITOR AND SUPERVISE OUR ELECTIONS WHEN WE NEVER MEDDLE IN THEIR INTERNAL POLITICS? THE WHOLE WORLD WITNESSED HOW GEORGE W. BUSH'S REPUBLICAN PARTY RIGGED ITS WAY TO VICTORY IN THE UNITED STATES' LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. DID TONY BLAIR AND HIS ILK COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS? THE PROGRESSIVE FORCES OF AFRICA SHOULD BE WORRIED TODAY THAT THE ACCORD. . .RUNS THE DANGER OF BEING HIJACKED BY BRITAIN, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA. WE HOPE REASON WILL PREVAIL OVER VANITY IN THESE TALKS." ¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "GAME UP FOR MUGABE," THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE STANDARD" COMMENTS: "IF THERE IS ONE ADMINISTRATION AROUND THE WORLD WHICH HAS PERFECTED THE ART OF PLAYING TRUANT WHEN IT COMES TO HONORING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS, IT IS THAT OF MR. ROBERT MUGABE. . . THE LATEST AGREEMENT. . .IS ABUJA. . .WHICH THE STATE IS NOW TRYING TO WRITHE OUT AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF DEMANDS BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR POLITICAL CLEANLINESS. . . WITH THIS WEEK'S SPITING OF THE EU (EUROPEAN UNION) DELEGATION, ONE IS. . .FORCED TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 03241 300715Z ASK WHETHER MUGABE REALIZES - OR CARES - THAT HE HAS ALSO TOLD HIS REGIONAL COLLEAGUES TO GO TO HELL. . . IT IS TIME THAT MUGABE'S TRICKS ARE BROUGHT TO FINAL CHECK. WE HOPE THAT THE DECISIONS OF THE DELEGATION (WILL) FINALLY BRING THE MESSAGE TO HIM THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING ZIMBABWE, EXPECT HIM TO BEHAVE IN A CIVILIZED MANNER." ¶4. UNDER HEADLINE "NO AMOUNT OF LIES WILL STOP LAND REFORM," THE OCTOBER 28 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT- CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" COMMENTS: ". . .THE VISIT BY THE COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS. . . REVEALED HOW TORTUOUS IT IS TO KEEP THE (ABUJA) ACCORD GOING. IT ALSO SHOWS HOW MUCH THE ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO MAKING IT SUCCEED. THEY WERE CLEARLY GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO RESTRAIN THEMSELVES IN THE FACE OF RACIST INSULTS AND OPEN BIAS. . . THIS IS A REVOLUTION THAT PEOPLE WITH A HISTORY OF DISPOSSESSION, LIKE THE MINISTERS FROM THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES IN THE COMMITTEE, CAN EASILY APPRECIATE. IT IS ALSO A REVOLUTION THAT THE LIKES OF MR. (DAVID) KILGOUR (CANADIAN SECRETARY OF STATE - AFRICA AND LATIN AMERICA) AND THEIR VANQUISHED COLLEAGUES WILL FIND DIFFICULT TO SWALLOW." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >