NYASALAND, RHODESIA

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29383, 9 December 1960, Page 12

NYASALAND, RHODESIA

London Talks On Future (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 6. The Prime Minister of the Rhodesia and Nyasaland Federation (Sir Roy Welensky) today opened the fight against African Nationalist moves to break up the federation at five-Government constitutional private talks in London. Sir Roy Welensky, dedicated to the preservation of the seven-year-old federation, is leading the resistance against African demands for the secession of each of the federated territories. He outlined his arguments in a three-hour conference session at Lancaster House at which Mr Duncan Sandys, the Commonwealth Relations Secretary, presided. A general debate is scheduled on the future of the 500,000-square-mile federation and its 8,000,000 people, over which crucial differences exist between the African nationalists and the Europeans. The British Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan), who presided-at the

formal opening of the talks, warned the delegates not to underrate the difficulties and dangers of the conference and urged them to keep their heads in face of the “ferment” now taking place in Africa.