MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO AFRICA;

UNCLAS HARARE 001418

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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