'No unilateral sanctions’

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33383, 15 November 1973, Page 3

'No unilateral sanctions’

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 14. The Government had no intention of unilaterally taking the drastic step of imposing economic sanctions against the South African Government, the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Watt) said today.

He w as replying to Mr G. P. A. Downie (Nat., Pakuranga), who had asked if the Government’s policy of prohibiting sporting contacts with South Africa would also apply to trade with South Africa.

Mr Watt replied that the Government had no wish to cause the South African people economic hardship or suffering. “If, however, matters ever reached the stage where mandatory economic sanctions were laid down by United Nations Security Council decision, as they were against Southern Rhodesia in 1968, the Government would fulfil its obligations under the United Nations charter,” he said. In another question, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Marshall) asked if the Prime Minister would publish reports and other evidence he considered when making his decision that the South African tennis team should not play in New Zealand. Mr Watt replied that he could supply Mr Marshall with a statement made by the South African Minister of Sport (Dr Koornhof) in May this year on South Africa’s sporting policy which made most depressing reading. “This confirms the South African Government’s imposi-1 tion on sport of the inhumane i policy of apartheid which the United Nations and its member States, including New Zealand, abhor,” he said.

• The New Zealand Government’s policy was in line with j the decision of the United 1 Nations itself and had never ’ deviated from it. • Mr Watt said the Govern- ; ment had received “consider- | able correspondence” from overseas countries support1 ing its attitude towards South Africa.