MEDIA REPORT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 001839 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, INR/R/MR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAO ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Retaliatory sanctions welcome" the government-controlled daily "Chronicle" dedicated its August 14 editorial to backing Mr. Robert Mugabe's "retaliatory sanctions" against the United States, European Union and other Western countries that have imposed travel restrictions on Mugabe's administration. Excerpts: ¶2. "There is an adage that says: if you sow wind, you reap the whirlwind, and when this happens, you will have only yourself to blame. The European Union and the United States have imposed what they prefer to call smart sanctions on 72 senior government and ZANU PF officials for giving land to the black majority. . .What these nations forgot was that they have no monopoly in imposing sanctions against any nation, no matter how small it might be. . .We welcome the President's announcement and hope that it will send the right message to the British and their MDC messengers who appear to be basking in the misguided notion that they are immune to sanctions. . .Zimbabwe is not a punch bag for bullies from the Western world who, while preaching democracy, have autocratic foreign policies. President Mugabe has already made it clear that the time to hit back has come and we hope that those who got the ball rolling will not cry foul when we retaliate. . .The Tony Blairs and the George Bushes of this world need to be reminded that Zimbabwe is no longer a colony that is told what to do at every turn. They should leave the country's leaders to go about their business in this global village without hindrance." SULLIVAN