Comments by Sunday Club head ‘ill advised’

Press, 22 January 1988, Page 5

Comments by Sunday Club head ‘ill advised’

PA Wellington The Government yesterday defended its financial support for southern African countries after a former National member of Parliament claimed the money was being used to assist terrorism. Bert Walker, chairman of the Sunday Club, said on Wednesday that the money was being given to assist “questionable” Commonwealth anti-apartheid initiatives. It would be better spent sponsoring peace negotiations for South Africa. But the Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Wilde, described Mr Water’s comments as ill-

informed and wide of the mark. “Meetings to negotiate a settlement in South Africa have been proposed many times,” she said. “The South African Government has always rejected them out of hand. It isn’t interested in a settlement acceptable toall the parties — a democratic settlement — since that would involve sharing political power . with Africans who constitute more than 70 per cent of the country’s population. “All if wants is to preserve the privileged position of the whites. And it has shown time and, again that it will resort fto the

most brutal repression to prevent a democratic solution.”

Ms Wilde said Mr Walker’s claim that the Government was assisting “terrorism at its worst” could not be further from the truth. New Zealand contributed $500,000 to three Commonwealth funds. These were: 0 The Nassau fellowship scheme which awarded scholarships to South African refugees to enable them to continue their education at universities in Africa and elsewhere. • The Distance Education Scheme, which pro-

vided training by correspondence to South African and Namibian refugees. • To Mozambique for famine relief as a result of disruption and wanton violence and terrorist acts carried out by rebels actively supported by the South African Government. “If there is anything I am sure of it is that every fair minded and caring New Zealander will support these contributions to humanitarian causes,” Ms Wilde said. “Mr Walker may speak for ihe others, if there are any'/'