MEDIA REPORT: ZIMBABWE REACTS TO EU CONCERN

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 >