DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TIGHT-LIPPED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 003652 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF A/S SUSAN RICE, DAS SCHNEIDMAN AF/S RENDER, BOOTH, FAULK NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR PFLAUMER PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03652 01 OF 03 051408Z E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/00 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINS PINR KDEM ZI SUBJECT: DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT NEW CABINET APPOINTMENTS CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER MAKILA JAMES, REASONS 1.5 B/D. REFTEL: A) HARARE 3165, B) HARARE 02961 ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS NICHOLAS GOCHE WAS TIGHT-LIPPED OVER POSSIBLE CABINET CHANGES IN A JULY 3 CONVERSATION WITH THE AMBASSADOR. GOCHE, HOWEVER, NOTED THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO REAPPOINT THOSE MEMBERS WHOM THE PUBLIC REJECTED IN THE RECENT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) WILL NOT BE INVITED INTO THE CABINET, GOCHE SAID. THE GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT "IN PRINCIPLE" FOR THE ACQUISITION WITHOUT COMPENSATION OF ALMOST ALL THE 804 PUBLICIZED PROPERTIES, ACCORDING TO GOCHE. WAR VETERANS WILL REMAIN ON THE OCCUPIED FARMS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) ON JULY 3 THE AMBASSADOR, ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFF, CALLED ON THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, NICHOLAS GOCHE, FOR A POST-PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ASSESSMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT. GOCHE WAS IN A LESS COMBATIVE MOOD THAN WHEN THE AMBASSADOR LAST SAW HIM ON JUNE 12, TO DELIVER A JOINT DEMARCHE WITH OTHER HEADS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03652 01 OF 03 051408Z OF MISSIONS TO CONDEMN POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND CALL FOR A HALT TO IT IN THE COUNTRY (REFTEL A). GOCHE PLAYED OFF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MDC'S 57 SEAT WIN TO ZANU-PF'S 62 IN THE JUNE 24 AND 25 VOTE, NOTING "THE RURAL AREAS VOTED FOR LAND AND THE URBAN AREAS VOTED FOR JOBS. CONCEDING THAT HIGH URBAN UNEMPLOYMENT LOST THE ELECTION IN THOSE AREAS FOR ZANU-PF GOCHE, SAID THE MDC COULD HAVE "PUT UP A FROG" IN THOSE AREAS AND STILL WOULD HAVE WON AGAINST THE RULING PARTY. NEVERTHELESS, THE DEPUTY MINISTER SAID IT'S GOOD OTHER VOICES ARE IN PARLIAMENT; NOW THE MDC HAS TO PROVE WHETHER ITS MEMBERS CAN ARTICULATE THEIR POLICIES TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE PEOPLE'S SUFFERING. ¶3. (C) IN RESPONSE TO THE AMBASSADOR'S QUESTIONS ABOUT POSSIBLE NEW FACES IN THE CABINET, THE DEPUTY MINISTER BECAME TIGHT-LIPPED. GOCHE FLAT OUT REFUSED TO SHARE ANY OF THE RULING PARTY'S THINKING, WHICH CAME OUT OF THE EXTRAORDINARY TWO-DAY POLITBURO MEETING ON JUNE 28 AND 30. GOCHE SAID IT WAS A SHAME THAT THE PARTY LOST CERTAIN PARLIAMENTARY SEATS CURRENTLY HELD BY CABINET MEMBERS SUCH AS, MINES, ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM MINISTER, SIMON KHAYA MOYO, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE VICE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE, SITHEMBISO GLADYS NYONI, AND MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS, DUMISO DABENGWA. ONE UNIQUE CASE FOR THE PRESIDENT TO CONSIDER WILL BE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF THE ONLY REMAINING WHITE MEMBER OF HIS CABINET, MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD WELFARE, TIMOTHY STAMPS. STAMPS RAN ON THE ZANU-PF TICKET AT THE PRIMARY STAGE AND WAS DEFEATED. THE HEALTH MINISTER REMAINED IN THE CABINET AFTER THE PRIMARIES AND WAS NOT ELIGIBLE TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 03652 01 OF 03 051408Z CONTEST IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS FOR ZANU-PF. CONSEQUENTLY STAMPS HAS NEVER "FACED THE PEOPLE" AND TECHNICALLY HAS NOT BEEN REJECTED BY THEM, SO MUGABE COULD REAPPOINT HIM WITH LESS DIFFICULTY THAN THOSE THE PEOPLE VOTED OUT, GOCHE ADDED. THE DEPUTY MINISTER DISMISSED THE IDEA OF THE MDC BEING OFFERED ANY POSITIONS IN THE CABINET. ¶4. (C) ECHOING MUGABE'S TELEVISED CNN INTERVIEW OF A FEW DAYS BEFORE, GOCHE SAID THE MDC COULD NOT BE BROUGHT INTO THE GOVERNMENT AS ITS MEMBERS WERE UNKNOWN QUANTITIES, AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO UNITY GOVERNMENT TALKS AT THIS STAGE. MOREOVER, GOCHE SAID THE MDC WOULD NOT ACCEPT