Salisbury Govt may meet guerrillas

Press, 16 August 1978, Page 8

Salisbury Govt may meet guerrillas

NZPA Salisbury The Rhodesian biracial transitional Government is reported to be considering a Western proposal for peace talks with black nationalist guerrilla leaders. The two guerrilla leaders. Joshua Nkomo and Roberi Mugabe, who jointly heat the Patriotic Front politica alliance, were excluded froir a constituional agreemeni reached five months ago bj the leaders in the transi tional Government promissing black rule by the begin ning of next year. The Government has pre viously rejected Westerr proposals for peace talks The Patriotic Front has conditionally accepted the idea. Rhodesian Governmem troops have killed 66 blacl nationalist guerrillas in a series of incidents that hav< claimed a total of 81 lives ir recent days, according t< the military command. The statement gave n< details on the clashes thai resulted in the slaying of 61 insurgents, bringing to 124 the number killed in August. It also said four members of the Rhodesisan armec forces had been killed, as well as eight black civilians slain in crossfire. Rhodesian authorities meanwhile, have said thej are turning over the administration of wide rural areas of the nation to formei black guerrillas who have pledged allegance to the bi racial Government’s plan foi majority rule.