COMMONWEALTH PREMIERS’ TALKS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29368, 22 November 1960, Page 17

COMMONWEALTH PREMIERS’ TALKS

‘S.A. Will Not Allow Any Form Of Humiliation’ • (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) PRETORIA, November 20. South Africa would not permit herself to be submitted to any form of humiliating treatment at next year’s Commonwealth conference, the South African Prime Minister (Dr. Verwoerd) said today. Dr. Verwoerd said he had told Britain’s Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) that the Union wanted to stay in the Commonwealth. “It must also be clearly understood that South African membership would be based on non-interference in her domestic affairs by other members,” he said in a statement.

Dr. Verwoerd said he had first approached the British Prime Minister three weeks after the referendum on October 5. when a qiajority of South Africans decided the country should b ecomc a republic. Then, last week, he had told Mr Macmillan he agreed with his advice that the matter should be dealt with at th'' Commonwealth Prime ‘Ministers’ conference next March, which Dr. Verwoerd said he would attend. Dr. Verwoerd said he was making his statement because of alleged leakages in London concerning South Africa’s desire to remain in the Commonwealth. ‘‘These leakages give the impression that they are designed to impede South Africa's continued membership or to persuade the public that South Africa would only be able to retain her membership on conditions or in circumstances which would be humiliating. “The ‘twist’ introduced in these leakages is that South Africa has insisted that the question be settled by correspondence because of her reluctance to subject South Africa’s affairs to the attention which would inevitably gn with discussion of her Commonwealth membership. “Furthermore, it was alleged that Mr Macmillan prefers settlements of the matter at a confer-

ence and that it was now a question of whose view is to prevail, his or mine. This is clearly an attempt to play off one Prime Minister against the other, which, of course. I cannot permit.” Dr. Verwoerd said. The Malayan Prime Minister <Tunku Abdul Rahman> said in London today that he had sent a personal letter to the Head., of Government of about two dozen democracies urging them to join him in declaring a total trade bovcott against South Africa. He said that he honed the South African Government Would be “frank and straight enough” to take a clear decision about the Republican i«-ue before I rrh of CommonweaHh Prime Ministers so f hat the matter rn«»ld be dealt with nt this meeting, and not put over for another

“What we must establish is that our Commonwealth association is founded on principle—that we resnect human rights, nolitical liberty and freedom of individuals. There is an open breach of that nrincinte in South Africa today.” he said. Malaya by itself would not wish to ban South Africa if all the others wished her to be in the Commonwealth, the Tunku said. Equally if the majority anneared to favour expulsion Malaya would not oppose such a move.