DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TIGHT-LIPPED

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
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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
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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