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FM ROME
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1110
OF 151335Z DEC 90
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HKB 020 127.
1990
Pa
021063 MDHIAN 4548
HI / South A or HK (3rd contes
INFO DESKBY 17090OZ ALL AFRICAN POSTS, EC POSTS, MOSCOW, TOKYO, INFO DESKBY 17090OZ UKMIS NEW YORK, OTTAWA, CANBERRA
17/0
INFO DESKBY 17090OZ FREETOWN, BANJUL, DAKAR, MOGADISHU, ADDIS ABABA INFO DESKBY 17090OZ YAOUNDE, ACCRA, ABIDJAN, LUANDA, LUSAKA,
INFO DESKBY 17090OZ LILONGWE, MAPUTO, MBAMBE, MASERU, DARES SALEM INFO DESKBY 17090OZ KINSHASA, KAMPALA, HARARE, LAGOS, WINDHOEK INFO DESKBY 17090OZ NAIROBI
INFO DESKBY 16110OZ UKDEL NATO
INFO IMMEDIATE PRETORIA, WASHINGTON
INFO SAVING STRASBOURG, LIBREVILLE, MONROVIA
EUROPEAN COUNCIL: ROME, 14-15 DECEMBER
SOUTH AFRICA
SUMMARY
1. EUROPEAN COUNCIL AGREES TO IMMEDIATE LIFTING OF BAN ON NEW INVESTMENTS, WITH BANS ON IMPORTS OF COAL AND STEEL AND KRUGERRANDS TO BE LIFTED ONCE 'LEGISLATIVE ACTION IS TAKEN' ON THE GROUP AREAS AND LAND ACTS. A GOOD RESULT, IN WHICH THE GERMAN AND SPANISH CHANGES OF HEART WERE KEY FACTORS.
DETAIL
2. ON 14 DECEMBER POLITICAL DIRECTORS HAD AN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION OF RESTRICTIVE MEASURES AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA WHICH REVEALED A DISTINCT MOVEMENT IN FAVOUR OF SOME IMMEDIATE RELAXATION. BRUUN (DENMARK) AND MURPHY (IRELAND) INDICATED THAT THEIR MINISTERS WERE LIKELY TO MOVE FROM SUPPORT FOR OPTION A (STATEMENT OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PROCESS OF REFORM) TO OPTION C (SOME RELAXATION OF MEASURES FOLLOWING FULFILMENT OF CERTAIN CONDITIONS). BRUUN STRESSED THAT AS THERE WAS NO HOPE OF HIS MINISTERS SUPPORTING OPTION B (IMMEDIATE RELAXATION OF SOME MEASURES) POLITICAL
DIRECTORS SHOULD TRY TO FORMULATE CONSENSUS AROUND OPTION C.
3. VAN WALSUM (NETHERLANDS) WAS ODDLY NON-COMMITTAL (REFLECTING THE DISARRAY ON THIS ISSUE IN THE NETHERLANDS COALITION GOVERNMENT) HOWEVER, HE EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH TO THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF REFORM. IF THE SAG WAS TO BE ASKED TO FULFIL ALL 6 CONDITIONS UNDER DISCUSSION (THE RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL
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