Government curbs trade, contacts with S. Africa

Press, 13 November 1985, Page 3

Government curbs trade, contacts with S. Africa

The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, yesterday announced a list of moves against South Africa as agreed at the Commonwealth heads of government conference at Nassau last month.

In an address to the Christchurch branch of the Institute of International Affairs, Mr Lange said that the measures were limited, and for New Zealand “relatively painless.” For example, New Zealand’s trade with South Africa was minimal compared with other countries. It had no dealings with South Africa in arms or in the nuclear field. Neither did it have any government-to-government financial dealings. Mr Lange announced that the Government had.—

• Put an embargo on the sale or re-export of computer equipment to South Africa.

• Imposed a ban on the import of arms, ammunition, and military vehicles from Soutir Africa.

• Prohibited the import of gold kruger-rands. • Decided that the Export Guarantee Organisation should not enter into commitments for new business with South Africa.

• Instructed the ExportImport Corporation not to help companies in respect

of business with South Africa.

• Undertaken to discourage all cultural and scientific events, except where these would contribute towards ending apartheid, or have no possible role in promoting it Mr Lange said that these measures would stay in force until the Commonwealth was satisfied that social and political justice had been restored in South Africa.

“Looking further down the track, the Government has resolved that if political progress in South Africa does not match up to the Commonwealth’s minimum conditions as set out in the Commonwealth Accord, then New Zealand will, together with other Commonwealth governments, give effect to the additional measures set out in the Accord,” said Mr Lange. The proposed ban on importing agricultural products from South Africa and the ban on the promotion of tourism there would be of considerable significance to South Africa and of some significance to New Zealand.

“Most of the other measures, which include a ban on air links with South Africa, a ban on new investment or reinvestment, of

profits earned in South Africa, and a ban on government contracts with majority-owned South African companies, will present New Zealand with little difficulty,” said Mr Lange. “We shall honour all these provisions scrupulously if the time comes,” he said. The Commonwealth Accord, reached by the 49 nations at this year’s CHOGM, sets out that the South African government declare its intention to dismantle apartheid and take positive action to show that it will do so; that it end the present state of emergency, that it release the people who have been detained for their opposition to apartheid, and lift the ban on the African National Congress and other political parties;

and that it start talks with representatives of all racial and political groups with the long-term aim of establishing non-racial and representative government. The Commonwealth has given South Africa a deadline of six months to take the first steps. “The Accord is a sensible first step,” said Mr Lange. “It uses both carrot and stick. It does not seek to throw the whole book of sanctions at South Africa immediately. “That would be unrealistic and tactically unwise. What it does is to deliver an unmistakable signal to South Africa that the Commonwealth and the rest of the international community is growing impatient for change,” said Mr Lange.