GOVERNMENT PAPER HAILS REPORT BY NEW YORK ELECTED

UNCLAS HARARE 002765 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA, AF/PDPA NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO ZI SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT PAPER HAILS REPORT BY NEW YORK ELECTED OFFICIALS ¶1. Under headline "Now that the truth is out. . ." the government-controlled daily "Chronicle" dedicated its December 3, editorial to praising the trip report released by a delegation of elected officials from the U.S. after their recent visit to Zimbabwe. Excerpts: ¶2. ". . .A delegation of New York city councilors that recently visited Zimbabwe on a fact-finding tour of the country have attacked the U.S. Government for its position on Harare's land issue, which they said was heavily influenced by Britain. . . The chickens have finally come to roost for the George Bushes and Tony Blairs of this world who have been having a field day demonizing the government of Zimbabwe at every turn. Now their citizens are no longer consumers of cheap propaganda but chroniclers of the story of Zimbabwe's agrarian reforms. [Members of the delegation] are now ambassadors of the people of Zimbabwe who are being denied the right to explain the situation obtaining on the ground to the world because of the so-called smart sanctions. . . We believe the report is the most accurate picture of the situation in the country from the eyes of impartial observers. It is therefore imperative that the world take the report and its recommendations seriously to assist the people of Zimbabwe address the current impasse created by the greed of the white man. . ." ¶3. The delegation, which included New York City Council members Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn),James Davis (D- Brooklyn),New York State Assembly member Adam Clayton Powell IV (D-Harlem) and Illinois State Senator Donne Trotter (D-Chicago),visited Zimbabwe October 11-23, 2002 on a trip funded by the Government of Zimbabwe. SULLIVAN