Strauss heads for Mozambique

Press, 22 January 1988, Page 7

Strauss heads for Mozambique

NZPA-Reuter Cape Town The West German Right-wing politician, Franz Josef Strauss, will leave white South African hospitality for war-torn Mozambique today as an unconventional mediator between the neighbouring States. Mr Strauss, sent on his 10-day mission to South Africa and Mozambique by the West German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, has told reporters only that its purpose is “to discuss some problems there have been.” Officials, however, say he wants to defuse tension between Pretoria, which accuses Mozambique of letting black nationalist guerrillas use its territory as a launching pad, and Maputo, which says South Africa is fuelling its crippling civil war. Mr Strauss was feted on his arrival yesterday by President P. W. Botha and his Cabinet, who usually make plain to foreign envoys that they would rather accept international ostracism than black majority rule. “We are very pleased that Mr Strauss has found time to visit southern Africa,” the Foreign Minister, Pik Botha, said. Mr Strauss, who heads one of three parties in West Germany’s coalition Government, is one of a few prominent West

Europeans who has said majority rule would mean chaos in South Africa. He will talk to President Botha again on Monday after meeting Joachim Chlssano, President of Mozambique. Mr Strauss is used to pursuing his own brand of diplomacy with unlikely partners. Last month he won an unexpectedly warm welcome in Moscow, which has been Maputo’s dominant ally. Officials said Mr Strauss would try to use his time in Maputo to build on a visit there by Dr Kohl last November. Dr Kohl praised Maputo’s efforts to open up to the West and pledged more aid. Western efforts to rehabilitate Mozambique’s economy are being thwarted by rebel sabotage which has helped reduce the naturally fertile country to famine. Mr Strauss’s reception in South Africa, including a banquet given by President Botha, was markedly more cordial than that given to the last leading West European visitor, the British Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe, in 1986. West German politicians have criticised Mr Strauss for devoting little of his visit to President Botha’s black opponents.