MEDIA REPORT U. S./UK UNDER FIRE FROM ZANU PF;

UNCLAS HARARE 001095

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PDPA DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS, AF/S RAYNOR
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 REPORT U. S./UK UNDER FIRE FROM ZANU PF;
HARARE

ZANU-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Nathan
Shamuyarira, has accused the United States and Britain of
backing week-long mass protests, called by the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to pressure Robert
Mugabe to a negotiating table. According to an article
carried on page 2 in the June 2 edition of the government-
controlled daily "The Herald," under headline "ZANU-PF
deplores U. S., UK," Shamuyaririra - in a statement issued
in Harare yesterday - said it was a shock that the U. S.
and Britain were supporting a demonstration whose intention
is to engage in a coup d'etat. "An illegal assembly
organizing military coup cannot be called peaceful and
democratic. It is shocking that the Government of Britain
and U. S. should support such a demonstration," Shamuyarira
is quoted as saying.

SULLIVAN