PREMIER EXPLAINS S.A. WITHDRAWAL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29466, 18 March 1961, Page 11

PREMIER EXPLAINS S.A. WITHDRAWAL

“Nkrumah Threatened Expulsion Move” LONDON, March 16. The South African Prime Minister, Dr. Verwoerd, disclosed tonight that Ghana’s President Nkrumah had threatened yesterday that he might have to move South Africa’s expulsion from the Commonwealth or withdraw Ghana. In a press statement, Dr. Verwoerd said President Nkrumah gave notice at yesterday afternoon’s session that he would have to reserve his position on South Africa’s membership. The South African leader said the Afro-Asian-Canadian bloc resorted to “unbridled attacks” on South Africa. He claimed there were sharp attacks by the Prime Ministers of India and Nigeria, Mr Nehru and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. •

Dr. Verwoerd said that he had in fact agreed to the inclusion in the draft communique of “most condemnatory attitudes" taken up by the Afro - Asian - Canadian group. Dr. Verwoerd said that the conference had been told by South Africa’s opponents that they had to take account of public feeling in their respective countries. Dr Verwoerd denied press reports that he had proved "wholly unaccommodating” at the conference. It was necessary to state clearly that he had gone out of his way to meet the wishes of the Afro-Asian-Canadian bloc in the conference, though he naturally could not allow them to rule his country by submitting to their demands that he change his apartheid policy, he said. In view of what transpired at this meeting and the spirit of vindictiveness shown by a number of Prime Ministers, Dr Verwoerd’s statement said, it was clear South Africa was not welcome as a member of the Commonwealth. It was also clear that Bri-

tain would continue to be involved in such quarrels while the real spirit of the Commonwealth should be to concentrate on points of agreement and not of differences. In the circumstaces he had no option but to withdraw South Africa’s request to retain Commonwealth membership after becoming a republic on May 31. In the House of Commons, the British Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) and the leader of the Labour Opposition (Mr Gaitskell) made statements. Mr Macmillan told the House this afternoon: "I am sure I speak for many of us on both sides when I express our deer? regret that the Commonwealth ties with South Africa, which have endured for 50 years are shortly to be severed.” Mr Gaitskell said: “The Commonwealth in the last tew days has passed through a great crisis, perhaps the greatest in its history, whose impact is bound to be very great, very decisive, not only in the Commonwealth itself, but far beyond it.

“I realise that some take the view that what has happened is a step towards the dissolution and decay of the Commonwealth. “For our part, on these benches, we take the contrary view. To us the outcome. bearing in mind all the circumstances, strengthen our faith that the Commonwealth is an institution of great potential value for humanity,” he said.