MEDIA REPORT FRENCH ELECTION; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 001092 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR DIPALMA, INR/R/MR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI KPAO SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT FRENCH ELECTION; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Chirac's massive victory: The lesson for African leaders" the independent daily "The Daily News" dedicated its May 7 editorial to hailing French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac's resounding defeat of Jean-Marie Le Pen in Sunday's run-off as a "reaffirmation" of the dangers of political extremism. Excerpts: ¶2. ".Jacques Chirac's massive victory over the racist Jean-Marie Le Pen was welcomed with the same Phew! by many Africans in Francophone Africa as the headline used in one French newspaper. ".What the people of France did, albeit spurred by a fear of what the rest of Europe would think of them, was a reaffirmation of their commitment to freedom for all people, whatever their race and whatever their origins. But for African leaders the lesson should be quite clear: Europe will not always drive the Le Pens in their midst into political wilderness. When the chips are really down and their economies are pushed against the wall, some of the Europeans might vote for the racists. Africans must get rid of their greedy leaders, by any means, before they accept the humiliation of being economic refugees." SULLIVAN