RHODESIAN FRICTION GROWS

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33740, 13 January 1975, Page 13

RHODESIAN FRICTION GROWS

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

SALISBURY, January 12.

Rhodesia’s African political leaders will meet today amid increasing friction with the white minority Government over the question of the transfer of power to the black majority.

The meeting of the central committee of Rhod sia’s African National Council (A.N.C.), the country’s most prominent black political group, had on its agenda possible arrangements for a constitutional conference to work out a new future for Rhodesia.

But last night the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, quoting sources close to the Government, said in a news bulletin that there would “certainly be no handover to black majority rule in Rhodesia, although it is intended to take Africans along.” The broadcast comes after the halt brought by the Law and Order Minister (Mr Des-

mond Lardner-Burke) to the release of nationalist detainees and the banning of an African .soccer match due to have been played in Salisbury today before a crowd to have included about half the 100 detainees so far released. The news broadcast was seen by observers as likely to have a marked influence on the meeting of the A.N.C. central committee and the strategy it works out for the proposed conference with the white Rhodesian Government.

The news bulletin emphasised that South Africa has no intention of abandoning Rhodesia.

The broadcast comes after the message by the Prime Minister (Mr lan Smith) at New Year in which he said that “there are going to be

no dramatic changes in Rhodesia.”

He urged the population made up of 270,000 whites and 5.8 million non-whites, to reject speculation and outrageous thoughts and suggestions. The Government’s - tough line was reported by sources close to the A.N.C. to have increased frustration and suspicion among Rhodesia’s African political leaders. The recent events are expected to make it easier for the A.N.C.’s executive committee to consolidate nationalist views into a uniform policy. The Rhodesian broadcast said that the Smith Government was in complete control of the situation in the country and “it intends to keep that control.”

Meanwhile, the British Foreign Secretary (Mr James

Callaghan) returned to London last night after a 12-day tour which took him to seven countries in Africa to discuss prospects for a settlement of the Rhodesian dispute.

He told reporters that he

would give a full report to the House of Commons on his tour next Tuesday. He will also be discussing the trip with his Cabinet colleagues. Mr Callaghan’s official tour was planned for talks in Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Nigeria. But he suddenly also paid a brief flying visit to Port Elizabeth, in South Africa, for discussions with the South African Prime Minister (Mr John Vorster). Informed British sources have already said that Britain in principle would be willing to call a constitutional conference on Rhodesia as long as it could be sure that all parties would attend and that there was a reasonable chance of success.