U.S. 'must improve relations with S.A.'

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 9

U.S. ' must improve relations with S.A.'

NZPA-Reuter Washington A Congressional committee yesterday urged big improvements in United States relations with southern Africa to protect sources of strategic minerals vital to the United States. The sub-committee on mines and mining, which visited South Africa, Zaire and Zimbabwe in January, said the United States was vulnerable to supply disruptions of strategic minerals . because of political instability in the region. In its report on the January visit, the committee described policy towards South Africa as a virtual disaster which would be greatly improved with more encouragement and less aggressive criticism. It said , the United States should refrain ■ from undermining President Sese Seko Mobuto of Zaire but at the same time' apply pressure towards a cure for the problems of his country. The United "States should encourage competitive denationalisation of Zaire’s economy. In Zimbabwe, the United States should assume leadership among other developed countries in taking up with the Government concerns about the maintenance o f mineral supplies. Nationalisation by Zimbabwe with or without compensation should be strongly discouraged.

“Foreign aid on the scale that Prime Minister Mugabe is reported to have demanded should be conditional on the continuity of past minerals policy and management of the minerals industry there,” the House of Representatives committee said. This week Mr Mugabe, at the United Nations and at his meeting with President Carter, called on Western nations, especially the United States . and Britain, for greatly increased aid to Zimbabwe. Presenting the committee s report, Congressman James Santini said American foreign policy had been conducted with little regard for dependence on stable sources of strategic, minerals heeded for defence and industry. “Despite the . mineral wealth of southern Africa and our dangerous over-re-liance, the United States is doing little to protect its own interests,” he said. The United States imports about two dozen critical minerals and 100 per cent of its manganese, cobalt, chromium and platinum from southern Africa. • In its recommendations on dealings with South Africa, the Congressional • sub-coiri-mittee said the United States had presented a confused and uncertain picture. United States Government

representatives in South Africa appeared to have set up some effective lines of communication with certain elements of the black community, it said. But South African Government officials and the business community asserted that the Americans had failed to set up similar communication lines to them. At the same time, American representatives were unable to meet the demands of many of the most outspoken of the black leaders. “As a result, the United States could find itself in a most awkward and least beneficial position of communicating to the blacks yet being unable to respond to their desires, while at the same time neglecting any communication with’ either the Government or business leaders,” the report said. Changes in past and some present American policiues in dealing with South Africa must take place, it said. Diplomatic communication must be opened with South African political leaders. The sub-committee said there was also a need to acknowledge that, while continued improvement was necessary, changes had taken place and these should be acknowledged and praised.. ■