MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO AFRICA;

UNCLAS HARARE 001405 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO AFRICA; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "U. S. has a role to play in solving Zimbabwe crisis" the July 10 edition of the independent daily "The Daily News" carried the following op-ed by Marko Phiri, political commentator, in which he advocates for a United States involvement in resolving the political, economic and social turmoil in Zimbabwe. Excerpts: ¶2. ". . .For Zimbabwe, the role of America in censuring rogue regimes is apparently well-appreciated. . .What is interesting about the Zimbabwe crisis is that it has reportedly divided Pretoria and Washington, with Bush telling Thabo Mbeki what he ought to do with his neighbor, who has turned out to be a poor student of democracy. As reported, Mbeki is not too ready to be told what to do or have his foreign policy defined for him by American hegemonic interests." SULLIVAN