RHODESIAN INDEPENDENCE Douglas – Home gives warning

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33453, 7 February 1974, Page 14

RHODESIAN INDEPENDENCE Douglas - Home gives warning

E Z P A -Reuter—Copyright) DAR-ES-SALAAM, February. 6, The British Foreign Secretary (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) has given a warning that there could he war in southern Africa if attempts to achieve a negotiated settlement over FLhodesia failed.

He also stressed that Britain would take no part in such a conflict and added: “It won’t be us who’s hurt if there is a war in Africa — it’ll be the Africans.” Sir Alec Douglas-Home was speaking at a press conference after one and a half hours of talks with President Julius Nyemere of Tanzania. Informe d sources said that during the private discussion Mr Nyerere stood firm on the principle of no independence for Rhodesia without maiontv rule. Sir Alec Douglas-Home later left for Nairobi. He made it clear that in Britain's

view it was no longer practical to think in terms of no independence before majority rule and that a compromise must be found. He told a press conference, “Force solves absolutely nothing, hut makes the situation worse and more difficult. What I am saying is that we need a negotiated settlement before there is a war in southern Africa.” He went on. “If the free-dom-fighting movement accumulates too much, of course, and gets very strong, then you’re going to have a [conflict, and the conflict will be on the borders of Zambia and Rhodesia, and nobody wants to see that — least of all the Zambians.”

He said that increased violence would turn the Zamibezi — Zambia’s border with ■Rhodesia — into a military frontier. On Britain's role in a pos-| isible conflict, he said “we I (shall keep our fingers out of I (the African pie. I promise you I ■that. “But we don’t want to seel [the conflict at all. And there-1 (fore we must do what we ■ can to avert it.’’ > Sir Alec Douglas-Home I [ said that it was British policy r[to await the outcome of talks' • ! between the Rhodesian Prime ‘[Minister (Mr lan Smith) and. 11 Bishop Abdel Muzorewa. I leader of the African Council! I,of Rhodesia (A.N.C.).