S.A. Almost Independent In Manufacturing Arms

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30234, 12 September 1963, Page 13

S.A. Almost Independent In Manufacturing Arms

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BLOEMFONTEIN, September 11. The South African Defence Minister (Mr Fouche) said yesterday that South Africa had advanced so far in manufacturing arms it was now largely independent of overseas countries.

Speaking at a National Party congress at Bloemfontein. he said the Government wis inundated with requests from foreign companies wanting to set up plants to manufacture arms in South Africa, the British United Press reported. “The stage has been reached where the Government has to.be selective in deciding which offers to accept,” he said.

He predicted great progress in manufacturing arms if threats by certain countries to stop supplying South Africa were carried out.

Things would be difficult for a year or so, but that would be followed by prosperity, he said. The time had passed when South Africa could be frightened by tnreats of boycotts. Opening the congress, of the Orange Free State branch of the party, last night, the Foreign Minister (Mr Louw) warned Britain and the United States “not to be sure” that South Africa would always assist and support them in the struggle against communism.

He said that the Simonstown agreement, giving Britain use of the Simonstown

naval base near Cape Town could always be revoked.

Mr Louw said certain countries would be “only too glad” to buy South Africa’s gold production. This was something that would create "grave concern” in the Bank of England—“and would be a hard blow for the sterling area.” Mr Louw said the reason for the unfriendly and sometimes even hostile atttitude displayed towards South Africa by the Western Powers, including Britain and the United States, was because those countries were absolutely sure of South Africa's assistance and support in times of need in their struggle against communism. There were other countries prepared to provide South Africa’s import needs, he said. South Africa, in spite of the attitude of the Western countries towards her, had at all times stood with the West in its struggle against communism.

Both the United States and Britain had large export markets and other investments in South Africa, Mr Louw said. "Furthermore, there is the Simonstown agreement, through which the sea routes

between the East and West are protected, an agreement which the British Foreign Secretary (Lord Home) only recently described as '6f great importance to Britain.”

"One would have thought that the United States and Britain would have been mindful of these valuable and favourable aspects of their relationship with South Africa before they attacked South Africa in the way they have done at the United Nations.

“Only recently, again at the Security Council meeting. Adlai Stevenson, the United States representative, and also Sir Patrick Dean, the Briton, describes South Africa’s policy as ‘abhorrent’ and ‘distasteful.’ “Tlie United States and Britain already have advantageous export markets and large investments here.

“So possibly they say to each other, ’So why worry?' Our main concern is to retain the goodwill of the black states. Our-markets and our investments are safe in South Africa.

“I wish to say to them—not to be so sure of their case,” Mr Louw said.