U.S. stresses need for Namibia security

Press, 28 May 1983, Page 9

U.S. stresses need for Namibia security

NZPA-Reuter 'New York The American Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, told African Foreign Ministers yesterday that Namibia (South-West Africa) could win independence if regional security was assured. There, were “foreign forces in Angola” — a reference to Cuban troops — and “non-Namibian forces in Namibia” — the South Africans — as well as continuing violence in the area, he said. The nub of the problem of Namibia was soluble if the surrounding environment in the region was made secure. Mr Shultz conferred for more than an hour with Ministers from Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the African nations most closely interested in the Namibia problem.

They are in New York for a United Nations Security Cuncil debate aimed at speeding long-delayed independence for the South African-ruled territory. A resolution sponsored by the

council’s non-aligned members was likely to be submitted today. Mr Shultz also had a 30minute meeting with Sam Nujoma, president of the South-West Africa People’s Organisation, whose guerrillas are fighting South African rule. A State Department spokesman denied that Mr Shultz had discussed socalled “linkage” between a Cuban pull-out from neigh-, bouring Angola, and Namibian independence. The United States, as part of a five-nation Western group working for a Namibia solution, has been strongly criticised by African and other goverments for setting the implied condition. Mr Shultz was discussing security in the entire area, the spokesman said.