MEDIA REACTION DROC: HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 002013 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION DROC: HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Zim troops return as heroes" the government-controlled daily "The Herald" dedicated its September 3 editorial to urging the United Nations to deploy "more peacekeeping forces" into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) "to avoid the creation of a vacuum," as Zimbabwean troops begin pulling out of that country. Excerpts: ¶2. ". . .As the army (Zimbabwe National Army) begins pulling out of the DRC it leaves behind a legacy of military professionalism. The new DRC army that emerges after the war will no doubt try to emulate the high standards set by the Zimbabweans. . . .Zimbabwe committed resources and soldiers to the DRC war and should benefit economically as peace returns to the Congo. . . The business opportunities would have been non-existent if the army had not flown into the DRC as rebels advanced. . . .Zimbabwean troops are, therefore, returning as heroes who on one hand successfully defended the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC while on the other opened a new economic frontier for the country. ". . .Had Uganda and Rwanda's military adventures and expansionist policies been successful, a terrible precedent would have been set with disastrous consequences for the continent. The intervention of SADC was, therefore, necessary and justified. For peace to continue to hold, it is now critical that the United Nations deploys more peacekeeping forces to avoid the creation of a vacuum. While the Congolese people chart the political destiny of their country the UN should not let them down by dragging its feet in dispatching thousands of peacekeeping forces. The peace that is now being enjoyed in the Congo came at a heavy price and the UN has to play its part in moving the peace process forward. . . ." SULLIVAN