The Herald said Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai was demeaning African heads of state at every turn while pandering to European and American leaders like a poodle.
But the United States had told him loudly and clearly that he had to go through South African President Thabo Mbeki, whom he had described as a dishonest broker, for whatever he wanted from Washington, the paper said.
“His political immaturity and incorrigibility has truly gone international – he wants to appeal to the American President to take over the brokerage of the discussion between his party and the ruling ZANU PF party.
“Instead of winning friends, Tsvangirai has sought to demonize those he expected to help him like insulting President Mbeki as an imperialist,” the paper said.
Ed: Thabo Mbeki brokered the talks that led to the formation of the inclusive government five years later.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 03HARARE1404, MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH;S VISIT TO AFRICA;
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
100824Z Jul 03
UNCLAS HARARE 001404
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
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH;S VISIT TO AFRICA;
HARARE
¶1. Under headline “Tsvangirai exhibits inferiority
complex” the government-controlled daily “The
Herald” dedicated its July 10 editorial to hailing
President George W. Bush and his South African
counterpart Thabo Mbeki for coming up with a shared
position on how to resolve Zimbabwe’s political and
economic crisis. Excerpts follow:
¶2. “. . .Yesterday, (Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC)leader Morgan Tsvangirai) was told loud and clear that
whatever he wants in Washington he must go through the
South African President, Thabo Mbeki, whom he has lately
described as a dishonest broker. His political immaturity
and incorrigibility has truly gone international – he wants
to appeal to the American President to take over the
brokerage of the discussion between his party and the
ruling ZANU PF party. Instead of winning friends,
Tsvangirai has sought to demonize those he expected to help
him like insulting President Mbeki as an `imperialist.’ He
has sought to demean African heads of state at every turn
while pandering to European and American leaders like a
poodle. The South African President smartly told Bush that
the Zimbabwean problem was a domestic issue that needed a
home-grown solution and not one baked in Washington. The
American President saw no offense in this and agreed that
he follow the lead of President Mbeki. . .The MDC has had
the comfort of being told by small American and British
bureaucrats that the American President will be sending
troops to remove President Mugabe from power and Tsvangirai
and his lieutenants have fallen for this lie. But
yesterday they had a good wake-up call – no such thing will
happen. If Bush is struggling to decide whether he should
send American troops to Liberia then this should be food
for thought for the opposition. . . .”
SULLIVAN
(11 VIEWS)
