Paper says Mbeki should stop covering up for Mugabe

The Daily News said President George Bush should put pressure on South African President Thabo Mbeki to stop covering for President Robert Mugabe.

In an editorial before the United States president’s visit to Africa, the paper said Mbeki should abandon his so-called quiet diplomacy and put pressure of Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front to abandon their ruinous policies that had brought the country to its knees.

“Bush must tell Mbeki what all of us have tried to tell the South African leader but in vain. That is that Mbeki should vigorously lead the Southern African Development Community and the rest of the international community in demanding that Mugabe step down to pave the way for a transitional government that will be tasked with organising fresh and truly democratic elections in Zimbabwe,” the paper said.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 03HARARE1389, MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH’S VISIT TO AFRICA;

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UNCLAS HARARE 001389

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 “Bush must demand that Mbeki act on

Zimbabwe” the independent daily “The Daily News”

dedicated its July 9 editorial to calling on

President George W. Bush “to use his immense

influence to pressure” South African President Thabo

Mbeki to stand up for democracy and good governance

by acting on Zimbabwe. Excerpts:

¶2.   “. . .The economic aid and development support that

Bush is dangling before the continent pales into

insignificance when compared with the damage caused

to Africa’s weak economies by the United States’

protectionist trade policies. But we totally agree

with Bush on one count, and that is that regional

powerhouse South Africa must abandon its ineffective

policy of so-called `quiet diplomacy’ and lead the

way in pressuring President Robert Mugabe and his

ruling ZANU PF party to abandon ruinous policies

that have brought this once prosperous country to

its knees. Bush must not be swayed or blackmailed

by the usual cheap accusations of racism or arrogant

imperialism by South African President Thabo Mbeki

and others. . .who. . .are only interested in buying

more time for Mugabe and his administration. The U.

¶S. leader must take comfort in the knowledge that

the majority of ordinary Zimbabweans. . .support his

call that Zimbabwe return to democracy. We urge

Bush to use his immense influence to pressure Mbeki

to stop covering up for Mugabe. Bush must tell

Mbeki what all of us have tried to tell the South

African leader but in vain. That is that Mbeki

should vigorously lead the Southern African

Development Community and the rest of the

international community in demanding that Mugabe

step down to pave the way for a transitional

government that will be tasked with organizing fresh

and truly democratic elections in Zimbabwe. Bush

has already started his African safari on a high

note by forcing Charles Taylor to leave power and

give Liberia a chance to start all over again. We

see absolutely no reason why he should fail to

emulate Henry Kissinger’s diplomatic triumph in

Pretoria in 1976, when he got John Vorster. . .to

turn the screws on Ian Smith. . .until the white

supremacist agreed to black majority rule. . . .”

SULLIVAN

(23 VIEWS)