Herald says Tsvangirai is pandering to the West like a poodle

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

TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI

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

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