MEDIA REACTION U. S. UNDER FIRE; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 000802 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION U. S. UNDER FIRE; HARARE ¶1. UNDER HEADLINE "PRESIDENT MUGABE IS OUR CHOICE," THE BULAWAYO-BASED GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "CHRONICLE" DEDICATED ITS MARCH 27 EDITORIAL TO DENOUNCING THE UNITED STATES OVER ITS STANCE ON ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENTIAL POLL. EXCERPTS: ¶2. "THE AMERICANS AND THEIR FRIENDS ELSEWHERE SEEM NOT TO HAVE GOT THE MESSAGE FROM THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE, THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE IS OUR CHOICE AND HE WILL LEAD THIS COUNTRY FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS, COME RAIN OR SUNSHINE. IN THEIR TYPICAL BULLISH STYLE, THE AMERICANS THINK THAT THEY CAN USE AID AS A WHIP TO TURN AFRICANS AGAINST EACH OTHER. WE ARE GLAD THAT SUCH EFFORTS, AS EXHIBITED BY THE U.S. YESTERDAY IN NIGERIA, HAVE BEEN DISMISSED FOR THE HOT AIR THAT THEY ARE. AND WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THEY WILL REMAIN PART OF THE AMERICANS' WISHFUL THINKING. WE APPLAUD THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ADVISOR TO SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI FOR TAKING EXCEPTION TO THE U.S. POSITION THAT THE CONTINENT'S ENDORSEMENT OF PRESIDENT MUGABE'S RE-ELECTION THREATENED WESTERN SUPPORT FOR THE NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT (NEPAD). THE AMERICANS HAVE IN THE PAST DEMONSTRATED THEIR LACK OF DEMOCRACY BY RESORTING TO THE COURTS TO DECIDE WHO WILL LEAD THEM WHEN THE OPTION OF AN ELECTION RE-RUN WAS CLEAR. NOW THEY WANT TO PREACH DEMOCRACY TO US WHEN WE JUST HELD FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN WHICH THEIR CANDIDATE, MR. MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, WAS TROUNCED. WE ADVISE THE AMERICANS TO WITHHOLD THEIR MONEY IF IT WILL BE USED TO DESTROY DEMOCRACY AND CREATE A DEPENDENCY ON DONOR FUNDS. IF THE IDEA OF NEPAD IS TO PERPETUATE THE MYTH THAT INVESTORS WILL NOT COME UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00802 271310Z UNLESS WE SUBMIT TO DENIGRATION, WE UNEQUIVOCALLY TELL THE AMERICANS TO LOOK ELSEWHERE BECAUSE WE DO NOT NEED DIRTY MONEY." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >