MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO AFRICA;

UNCLAS HARARE 001418 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 "Africa must resist West's machinations" the government-controlled daily "Chronicle" dedicated its July 3 editorial to accusing Washington of conspiring to unseat Robert Mugabe and his government. Excerpts: ¶2. ". . .Mr. Bush's African visit. . .seems to have renewed the puppet (opposition Movement for Democratic Change ) party's false hopes of entering State House through the backdoor. . .America, which claims to be the champion of democracy, is calling for the toppling of the constitutionally elected government of Zimbabwe. . .Is the violent removal of a democratically elected government not terrorism of the worst kind? America claims to be fighting terrorism on one hand and openly declaring intentions to topple legitimately elected governments on the other. The world has had enough of these double standards. We salute the position taken by Botswana and Zambia that the two neighboring countries would not allow their countries to be used as launch pads by the blood-thirsty America in its bid to effect regime change in Zimbabwe. For how long should America be left to abuse its superiority and bully other nations with impunity?" SULLIVAN