Bank sounded out A.N.C.

Press, 12 January 1987, Page 8

Bank sounded out A.N.C.

NZPA-Reuter London Barclays Bank, the British commercial bank that pulled out of South Africa last November, yesterday confirmed a press report that it held several meetings with leaders of the African National Congress (A.N.C.), guerrilla movement. A Barclays spokesman said: “Whilst we had an interest in Barclays National Bank in South Africa, we did have the occasional meeting with members of the A.N.C. “However, those meetings were prior to November 24 when we made our announcement that we were leaving South Africa. “It is unlikely that any other meetings will take place because we do not now have any involvement in South Africa,” said the spokesman. The “Independent” newspaper reported yesterday that Barclays was anxious to protect £766

million ($2127 million) owed to the bank in South Africa by persuading a future A.N.C. government to honour the debt. Barclays is unable to get this money back to Britain because of the South African Government’s freeze on debt repayments. The bank spokesman said Barclays wanted the money back as quickly as possible. “The reason’for those meetings was simply to make contact with all those groups who could play a part in the future of the . country,” he said. The spokesman said the first meeting between the bank and the A.N.C. took place in 1985 in Lusaka, and other meetings had been held since then in London with A.N.C. leader, Oliver Tambo. “Those meetings were private, rather than secret,” he added.