Zimbabwe ‘could not cut its trade ties with S.A.’

Press, 24 June 1981, Page 9

Zimbabwe ‘could not cut its trade ties with S.A.’

NZPA-Rcutcr Salisbury Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister, (Mr Robert Mugabe) said yesterday that his country could not participate in any international trade sanctions against South Africa.

Zimbabwe's economic dependence on its white-ruled neighbour was such that it would be senseless for it to pretend it could join in an embargo, Mr Mugabe said in an interview with NZPAReuter.

He was speaking on the eve of his departure for the Organisation of African Unity summit meeting in Nairobi.

There are expected to be calls at the meeting for sanctions aimed at forcing South Africa to yield on its terms for the independence of Namibia (South-West Africa) and to modify its apartheid policies. Mr Mugabe, leader of Africa's newest independent nation and a prominent figure among leaders of ■'front-line'’ African States opposed to South African policies, said Zimbabwe sought only peace and co-operation with the republic. But South Africa, he said, was “itchi/g for war.” Mr Mugabe also said he believed South Africa had

drawn comfort from the election of President Reagan, whose Administration has been accused by black Africa of tilting in favour of Pretoria.

But he said he believed that ultimately the United States would not sacrifice its commitments to civil liberties and democracy in order to support apartheid.

At the O.A.U. summit meeting. Mr Mugabe said, Zimbabwe would seek firm stands on Namibia, which South Africa rules in defiance of much world opinion, and on apartheid. . The organisation must give maximum support to liberation forces in South Africa and also work out political and economic measures “of a nature that can bring sense to South Africa,” he said.

“Any such pressures would be acceptable to Zimbabwe. But we have said Zimbabwe itself is not in a position to participate in any sanctions that the international community proposes,” he said. "But we will not stand in the way of their imposition even if they hurt us.”

More than 90 per cent of Zimbabwe's trade passes in transit through South Africa. “Supposing the international communitv ap-

pealed to us to stop trading with South Africa — we can't stop using rail routes with South Africa. We can't, you see.” Mr Mugabe said.

“This is the reality. We send our goods to South Africa and South Africa sends some of its goods to us. That is the type of sanctions we cannot participate in.”

The Prime Minister said that while Zimbabwe was trying to lessen its reliance on the republic, independence had not yet been achieved. “And until we are able to say we are in an effective economic position, it would be senseless on our part to give the world to understand we are able td participate in sanctions exercised against South Africa,” he said.

By encouraging anti-Gov-ernment forces in Mozambique and Angola, South Africa was trying to undermine its neighbours in order to prove its assertion that independence and democracy did not work in Africa, he said.

“South Africa is afraid of the democratic system that is reinforced by socialism and it is fighting hard to prevent it,” Mr Mugabe added.