HOLT WILL NOT REPLY TO SMITH

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31248, 21 December 1966, Page 21

HOLT WILL NOT REPLY TO SMITH

GN.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

CANBERRA, December 20.

The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Harold Holt, said today that he had not replied to a cable from the Rhodesian Prime Minister, Mr lan Smith, proposing that a joint Australian-New Zealand commission be formed to report on the position in Rhodesia.

Mr Holt said he had not acknowledged this and an earlier message “in keeping with the consistent attitude of non-recognition which the Australian Government had maintained during the relevant period of office of my predecessor. Sir Robert Menzies, and throughout my own time as Prime Minister.” Australia would apply vigorously all the sanctions against Rhodesia now made mandatory by the United Nations Security Council. Mr Holt said he had made

the contents of the cables known to the British High Commissioner in Australia, Sir Charles Johnston, for transmission to the British Prime Minister, Mr Wilson. “Not Realistic”

“My Government regards the proposal that Australia and New Zealand should join in a commission which, on the face of it, is confined to these two countries, as disturbingly unrealistic,” Mr Holt said. Mr Holt said he found it hard to imagine that a Prime Minister in Mr Smith’s position could think that a body representing Australia and New Zealand could produce conclusions which would be acceptable to the multi-racial Commonwealth as a whole. On the face of if it was unrealistic.