Smith pledges ‘no change’

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 8

Smith pledges ‘no change’

NZPA'Reuter Salisbury The Prime Minister of Rhodesia (Mr lan Smith) has emphasised that he is not prepared to accept one man, one vote as a basis for electing a future government of Rhodesia, and that he will not negotiate with the guerrilla leaders of the Patriotic Front nationalist organi isation. “I will never accept a black connotation as far as the future government of this country is concerned,” he told an audience of 1000 whites at his final meeting of the Rhodesian General Election campaign. The voters will go to the polls today. “I am not prepared to negotiate with anybody who is associated with terrorism, and that means the Patriotic Front — and if that means we don’t get a settlement, 'we don’t” he declared. “My position is consistent and I have no intention of changing.”

i Mr Smith is due to meet the British Foreign Secretary (Dr David Owen) and the : American Ambassador to the ■ United Nations (Mr Andrew; : Young) tomorrow to hear the latest Anglo-American proposals for a peaceful i transition to majority rule in Rhodesia. ’ The British and Americans: I are believed to be insisting on Patriotic Front inclusion in any settlement and that universal suffrage must be introduced into the Rhodesian Constitution. All black nationalist leaders also declare they will not compromise on their demands for a universal franchise. Mr Smith told his enthu-

siastic capacity audience ini Salisbury to loud cheers:] “Other countries in Africa] had one man, one vote —i once.”

Mr Smith, whose Rhodesian Front party is expected to win a mandate from the mainly white voters today to try to negotiate a new Constitution with black politicians, told his audience that white Rhodesians must do away with racial discrimination. “It’s been made absolutely clear to us this is the trend in the world. Nowhere is racial discrimination confdoned. You have got to be seen to be moving away (from it. “These are the hard facts of life. To think that a small, land-locked island like 1 Rhodesia can survive out of step with the rest of the' world is the height of madness,” he said to applause.