Zimbabwe agreement delayed by truce argument

Press, 4 December 1979, Page 8

Zimbabwe agreement delayed by truce argument

NZPA London Doubts are beginning to develop among officials at the Lancaster House conference on Rhodesia that the talks now in their thirteenth week, will finish this week' as planned. Much depends on the con-' tact today between the Brit-! ish Foreign Secretary (Lord! Carrington) and the guerrillal leaders, Josbua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe. If early agreement can be! reached on proposals for a cease-fire, the conference; will move strictly • into itsi last stage — how the propo- ; sals are to be implemented, i This, according to British officials, should not take more than a few days.

The way will then be open for a final signing ceremony. However, the < omplications that Lord Carrington has now been watting for three days for the ! Patriotic Front to say “yes” or “no” to the British proposals.

He asked for a clear answer by Friday, but the Front replied by tabling alternative proposals. Then he told them he was available on Saturday but they declined to meet him. Lord Carrington hopes to report to his Cabinet colleagues today that the conference is likely to end soon. But the Front says that it is waiting for Lord Carrington to say' “yes” or “no” to the proposals tabled on Friday.

According to British officials, there can be no further negotiation on the British proposals. But this position is made slightly more flexible by the indication that Lord Carrington will be prepared to discuss the pro-i posals. In Salisbury, a military! communique has said that) Zimbabwe Rhodesia’s bush war has claimed a further 411 lives including three white civilians and a black tribesman hanged with barbed wire.

The communique accused guerrillas loyal to Mr Mugabe of hanging a tribesman in the north-east of the country with barbed w-ire and then attacking his body with pick-axes.