Smith rejects U.K. role in interim govt.

Press, 18 December 1976, Page 8

Smith rejects U.K. role in interim govt.

NZPA-Reuter Que Que. Rhodesia The Rhodesian Prime Minister (Mr Smith) has rejected outright the issue of a British role in an interim government leading to black majority rule in Rhodesia.

Mr Smith said he suspected that the plan in- i volved exercising power without responsibility, and ■ that his answer to it was a firm “No!” Mr Ivor Richard, the ' British chairman of the adjourned Geneva Conference on Rhodesia, has said that Britain envisaged being “a neutral and uncommitted authority” during Rhodesia’s transition to independence. Mr Smith also expressed doubts about Mr Richard’s planned tour of southern Africa to seek support for new British proposals. “It appears that Mr Richard is trying to emulate the American Secretary of State (Dr Henry Kissinger), but I must issue a warning that if Geneva so far is a yardstick by which to judge, then I am inot very optimistic of the I results of Mr Richard trying Ito emulate Dr Kissinger.

In a disparaging reference to Mr Richard’s bulky stature. Mr Smith said: “My enthusiasm for this exercise is much the same as it would be if I were invited to the premiere performance at the Fine Arts Theatre of ‘Swan Lake,’ and I was told that Mr Richard was to play the leading part in it.” Mr Smith, who has been fiercely critical of Mr Richard’s handling of the Geneva talks, said that the eight-week conference had adjourned as a complete fiasco. “My Government is concerned about the number of white people leaving Rhodesia, but the country is stronger militarily than it has ever been. “I believe that the only way in which we can be defeated in Rhodesia would be to allow our enemies to talk us into surrendering.”