MEDIA REACTION IRAQ; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 002062 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AD/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 KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION IRAQ; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Who will pre-empt the war on Iraq?" the independent, pro-government weekly "The Sunday Mirror" dedicated its September 8 editorial to urging the United Nations Security Council to stop the United States and Britain from attacking Iraq. Excerpts: ¶2. "The first salvos of the unfolding war against Iraq have already been fired. The U.S. and its key ally, the UK, are meeting this weekend, in the context of a `Council of War' (to use their own words),almost as a confirmation that war can no longer be stopped. And with the anniversary of the September 11 due this week, war fever has almost engulfed the U.S. We have no doubt that other members of the UN Security Council will deny Bush and Blair the nod they are seeking as a formality for war plans already concluded. It will be yet another test for the world body, a commendable outcome, of at least Russia, China and France can stand up and be counted, even if, as appears to be the case, the U.S. and the UK should persist with their war plans. [NB: This is an accurate transcription.] "If Bush and Blair should go it alone, the emptiness of their cause will become even more obvious and their penchant for bullying thereby exposed. But it might not be too late to stop this senseless war, provided that all sections of our Earth speak out and demand that Kofi Annan calls an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council. The Arab World has already stated its strong opposition to any attack on Iraq and, in so doing, has exposed the hawk that is Israel that alone in the Middle East is in favor of war. Africa and the Third World need to add their voice. It is not too late to clinch a diplomatic solution over Iraq and place the matter entirely within the ambit of the United Nations." SULLIVAN