Halt to fighting urged

Press, 26 August 1978, Page 7

Halt to fighting urged

NZPA-Reuter Pretoria The South African Prime Minister (Mr John Vorster) has urged the United Nations and the five Western powers who- put up a peace plan for Namibia (South-West Africa) to press the guerrillas there to accept a cease-fire. Mr Vorster spoke after a clash on the frontier between Zambia and the Capiivi Strip — part of Namibia. South Africa has blamed the guerrillas of the SouthiWest Africa People’s Organ■isation for the artillery duel. South Africa lost nine soldiers in a fierce artillery and (rocket duel on Wednesday, and troops cross the Zambian border in a mopping-up action against S.W.A.P.O. 'cannon positions. | Ma j o r-General Janni Geldenhuvs. said the South [Africans had brought out a .number of terrorist bodies Witnesses said the bodies ol at least 16 black men were! (brought to the garrison town | (of Katima Mulilo. Mr Vorster said that al-1 ; though there were signs that i i Zambia was not officially in- ; volved in the clash, responsibility rested with countries! i which made their territory! available to guerrillas. Mr Vorster then said! S.W.A.P.O. could not be j allowed both to go on I fighting and continue a poli-[ tical campaign with other! parties under the Western! plan to bring Namibia to I independence. He said: “The S.W.A.P.O attack from Zambia once .again emphasised the urgent necessity that the Secretary General of the United Nations, the Security Council, and particularly the five Western powers should now fi n ally insist upon S.W.A.P.O. making a swift choice between a peaceful solution and violence.”