Vorster exhorting Smith to yield

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 8

Vorster exhorting Smith to yield

NZPA-Reuter Pretoria The South African Prime Minister (Mr John Vorster) is thought to be making every effort —short of economic blackmail—to try to persuade his Rhodesian counterpart, Mr lan Smith, to co-operate in the latest American initiative to end the Rhodesian dispute.

The talks now going on between the two leaders are regarded by observers as a vital step in the “Kissinger plan” aimed at pulling southern Africa back from the brink of total racial conflict.

While the United States Secretary of State (Dr Henry Kissinger) is flying to Tanzania at the start of a round of shuttle diplomacy, Mr Vorster will be briefing Mr Smith on the details and implications of the Rhodesia plan. Its key elements are reported to be fresh negotiations with a prior commitment to black majority rule within two years, international guarantees of the rights of the white minority under a black government, and a multi-million dollar "bail-out fund” for those whites who choose to leave the country.

Mr Smith has already rejected any commitment to black rule, and has reacted coolly to the guarantees and compensation idea. Mr Vorster in a speech on Monday night reaffirmed his strong belief in the policy of separate development for the races — apartheid — saying “I am not prepared to share power over myself and my people with any other people, however well disposed they might be.” As the police made mass arrests in Johannesburg’s black township of Soweto in continuing racial violence that has claimed some 300 lives, Mr Vorster blamed communist agitators for the widespread unrest. In his speech, seen as a curtain-raiser to his meeting with Mr Smith and with Dr Kissinger this week-end, Mr Vorster said “It is a fact that many people in the United States do not like South Africa, But it is also a fact that the United States is opposed to communism.” “It does not matter, there-

fore, whether they like South Africa or not. The fact is that- the United States is not only the biggest democracy in the world, but also the leader of the Western world. Thus the United States, in that role, is in a way also leader of South Africa,” he said. Mr Vorster was instrumental in bringing Mr Smith to the negotiating table for the abortive talks with black nationalists a year ago. But although landlocked Rhodesia is totally dependent on its powerful white neighbour for economic survival. Mr Vorster has consistently refused to apply economic pressure. Mr Smith, facing a worsening guerrilla war and faltering economy, is not expected to reject the Kissinger approach out of hand. He is known to be anxious to get things moving again towards a settlement, even if only because this might help take world pressure off the breakaway British colony. His most likely approach, therefore, might be to make counter-nroposals, observers said. Mr Smith must also be conscious, however, of mounting unrest from the Right wing of his ruling Rhodesian Front Party. Many Right wingers feel that he is moving too far, too fast towards accommodating black aspirations. Their opposition could come to a head at the party’s three-day annual congress which opens today in Umtali, the “front-line city” on the eastern border with Mozambique, which has become a major battle-zone in the guerrilla war. Mr Smith said in a speech reported in Salisbury yesterday that he wanted no part of “political gimmicks” such as majority rule and the one-man-one-vote principle. Both principles are main demands of the African nationalists seeking black rule in Rhodesia.

> Seventeen persons, includ- > ing seven guerrillas and one . Mozambican soldier, have been killed during the last ■ four days in clashes between • Rhodesian security forces ' and black guerrillas. ' In a communique just re- > leased in Salisbury, the Gov--1 ernment said four of the 17 were curfew-breakers living ■ in border areas. > The announcement brought ■ the number of guerrillas said : to have been killed this year to nearly 1000. 1 The South African police ■ arrested several hundred J Africans in black townships ■ around Johannesburg on • Monday, a move seen as a] ' change in tactics by the I authorities. Observers said the police | ■ appeared to be trying to; I prevent demonstrations and • rioting by swooping on po-' tential trouble-spots and ; making mass arrests, i They also pointed out that i in riots the police have now) started to use birdshot in-: ’ stead of bullets when firing; • into crowds, which is re-! fleeted in the lower casualty , figures of recent days, i After a meeting in Cape ; Town last week between the Justice Minister (Mr James ■ Kruger) and police chiefs it ’ was announced that new i tactics had been decided • upon. , Officials refused to ' say what they were. i The United States Secre- - tary of State is due to ar- : rive in Tanzania this morning from Zurich for talks I] with President Julius Nyesirere before travelling to ;] Zambia and South Africa. , | The issue which seems toj < offer most scope for Dr Kis-I - singer’s style of diplomacy i is Namibia (South-West F Africa), which is ruled by ] South Africa under a retivoked League of Nations -j mandate. tI Mr Vorster and Mr I Sam Nujoma, leader of -i 5.W.A.P.0., Nambia’s main i nationalist movement, have I I said they are ready for indejlpendence talks under certain I conditions.