Portuguese split over S.A. leader’s visit

Press, 29 May 1984, Page 8

Portuguese split over S.A. leader’s visit

NZPA-Reuter Lisbon The South African Prime Minister, Mr Pieter Botha, begins a controversial Euro>ean tour in Portugal today, nvited by the Socialist Prime Minister, Dr Mario Soares, for a visit that Opposition Communists and he trade union movement have condemned as lending respectability to apartheid. The Communist Party and the unions have planned protest demonstrations when Mr Botha arrives for a two-day visit. Political sources said that the visit had also caused some strain in the Portuguese Government coalition of Socialists and Social Democrats. Several Cabinet members opposed the invitation. Dr Soares had said that Mr Botha’s visit was justified because of the 600,000strong Portuguese community living in South Africa, the sources said. Socialist Party officials, who met a delegation from the African National Congress at the week-end, said i hat the party still supported the outlawed black South African guerrilla group fighting to end racial segregation. “The visit concerns relations between States and should not be confused with the position of the Socialist Party,” said the Socialist International Affairs chief, Rui Mateus. Lisbon played a minor role in bringing about the peace treaty between South Africa and the former Portuguese colony of Mozam-

bique earlier this year. Its close relations with Por-tuguese-speaking Africa, which also includes Angola, and strong diplomatic ties with Pretoria make it a useful go-between in troubled southern Africa. Mr Botha, who is due to visit Switzerland, Britain, Belgium, West Germany, and France, will have talks with Dr Soares soon after his arrival. Analysts see Mr Botha’s trip as aimed at boosting the image of South Africa, perhaps the world’s most diplomatically isolated nation. The British Government yesterday defended its hosting of Mr Botha, saying that it offered a chance for progress on issues such as apartheid. A Foreign Office Minister, Malcolm Rifkind, also indicated that the Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret

Thatcher, would put some pressure on Mr Botha when they met at the week-end. He said that their talks were not negotiations but an opportunity for a frank exchange of views. “There will undoubtedly be significant areas where agreement will not be obvious and doubtless will not be reached. “What we would emphasise is that here is an enormous opportunity to see progress in southern Africa on international issues and domestic questions inside South Africa itself.” He said that Mrs Thatcher was likely to press Mr Botha to accede to the United Nations Security Council resolution on freedom for Namibia. Britain would urge South Africa to drop its link between progress on Namibia and the removal of Cuban troops from Angola.