RHODESIA ISSUE

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33092, 6 December 1972, Page 19

RHODESIA ISSUE

‘Things are moving’ (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SALISBURY, Dec. 5; The Rhodesian Prime Minister (Mr Smith) said yesterday that the country’s independence dispute with Britain was not deadlocked, and that he hoped the New Year would see a move towards solving the problem. Mr Smith told a news conference: “You must not expect me to attempt to carry out my negotiations in public, but there is no position of stalemate. Things are moving and working the whole time.

“But I think it must be obvious to all that we are fighting a war, a tactical war, and, in those circumstances, it is very, very foolish for either side to disclose their tactics to the opposing side.” Mr Smith rejected, “with a definite and unequivocal ‘no’,” any suggestion of a new test of acceptability on the lines of the Pearce Commission.

“I think the main thing is to try to impress on the African that he is free to give his opinion without fear of intimidation,” he said. “If we can get that message home, I have no doubt in my mind that the answer will be an overwhelming ‘yes’ from the Africans.”

Mr Smith suggested that a number of African groups were trying to work for a reversal of the blacks’ rejection of the 1971 proposals. “I think the whole thing hinges on whether these people will have sufficient courage to voice their views, and accept and believe that intimidation will not once more prevail,” he said.