RHODESIA CRISIS Strong Signs Of A Settlement

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31234, 5 December 1966, Page 17

RHODESIA CRISIS Strong Signs Of A Settlement

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright? LONDON, December 4. Mr Wilson, and the Rhodesian leader, Mr lan Smith, early today ended their seaborne meeting with strong signs suggesting they have reached broad agreement on a settlement, says Associated Press. Although no official word was made public by either side there was at No. 10 Downing Street an atmosphere of scarcely concealed elation.

It was announced in London that Mr Wilson would fly home today. Accompanied by the Commonwealth Secretary, Mr Herbert Bowden, and Attorney-General, Sir Elwyn Jones, he is due at London Airport late this morning.

Mr Smith, left the warship soon after midnight and immediately left by plane, presumably for Salisbury.

It appeared that the two Prime Ministers had agreed to make no announcements of the outcome until Mr Smith had had the chance to give a verbal report to his Cabinet.

There have been persistent suggestions that Right-wing-ers in the Rhodesian Government would bitterly oppose any compromise.

The travel arrangements for the two leaders appear to be consistent with an agreement ending the 13-month rebellion. British Government officials saw another positive sign in that talks ended earlier than they might have done.

Mr Wilson had let it be known he was prepared to work to the last possible moment for an agreement. His current schedule, even without last-minute changes, would have allowed him to have kept on talking with Mr Smith at least until midday today. Britain's Demand Against this mounting circumstantial evidence there was always the possibility that Mr Smith might have baulked at some delicate point and decided to quit Crux of the dispute has been Britain’s demand for guarantees for steady Rhodesian progress toward majority rule by its four million Africans. Another basic issue was Britain’s demand for the right to have military forces in Rhodesia after the settlement to prevent another rebellion. Mr Wilson went into his meeting with Mr Smith determined to give the Rhodesian leader a stark picture of the

fate to befall Rhodesia if there was no agreement. Mr Smith last night cancelled an emergency Cabinet meeting at Salisbury that he dramatically called by radio from the Tiger to report on his talks with Mr -Wilson. The meeting which brought Rhodesian Ministers flying into Salisbury from hundreds of miles away—was cancelled without explanation, a Government spokesman said. Cancellation of the Cabinet session immediately sent a wave of rumours through the city that Mr Smith had reached settlement with Mr Wilson. Government officials refused to give any indication whether or not the rumours were correct. Grip Relaxed Meanwhile, in Salisbury, Government censors appear to be relaxing their grip on what the country’s news-

papers can print about the crisis. But local editors, glad about their extra freedom, fear that if the talks have broken down, censorship will tighten again.