Kissinger may try shuttle in Africa

Press, 6 September 1976, Page 1

Kissinger may try shuttle in Africa

NZPA-Reuter Zurich The United States Secretary of State (Dr Henry Kissinger) may try the shuttle diplomacy he has used in the Middle East in an attempt to halt the bloodshed in southern Africa. Whether he undertakes such a mission will depend on the outcome of his present talks in Zurich with the South African Prime Minister (Mr Vorster) and on an African summit meeting in Dar-es-Salaam today. Mr William Schaufele, the American Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, will fly to Dar-es-Salaam tomorrow to brief the Presidents of Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana. Angola and Mozambique on the KissingerVorster discussions.

Dr Kissinger said in London that whether he went to Africa would depend on Mr Schaufele’s report from Dar-es-Salaam. If the African P.esi-

dents agree that the Zurich talks indicate that a diplomatic shuttle might be useful, Dr Kissinger will fly to Africa at the weekend. The Dar-es-Salaam meeting will also be attended by the leaders of several black nationalist groups. Dr Kissinger and Mr Vorster have reported progress in their talks, which began on Saturday with 90 minutes of formal negotiations followed by a working dinner that continued until just after midnight. Dr Kissinger and Mr Vorster began the second day of their talks yesterday. Mr Vorster called on Dr Kissinger at the Hotel Dolder, overlooking Zurich, which is about 500 metres up the hill from the more modest Hotel Waidhaus, where the South African party is staying.

South African sources have repeated that Mr Vorster may be willing to offer internationally - observed elections in Namibia, and to agree to the participation of the South-West African People’s Organisation.

South Africa has until now refused to consider negotiations with the organisation, saying it is dedicated to violence. Dr Kissinger flew to Zurich from London, where he discussed the Southern Africa crisis with British officials. “This is the time to prevent the escalation of bloodshed,” he said before flying to Zurich. Asked whether he could succeed, he promised, “We will make a major effort.” After his talks with Mr Vorster end today he will fly to London to brief the British Prime Minister (Mr Callaghan) and the Foreign Secretary (Mr Anthony Crosland) on the outcome. Tomorrow he will have breakfast in Paris with President Giscard d’Estaing before flying to Hamburg for a briefing with the West German Chancellor (Mr Schmidt). He will return to Washington later in the day. Russian newspapers have described the Zurich talks as a last-ditch American effort to save the “racist regimes” of Southern Africa.