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The Committee considered a memorandun by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs (OPD(67) 30) on our policy on Rhodesia for the
coming months.
Businessmen in
THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY said that, although the cumulative effect
of economic sanctions against the illegal regime in Rhodesia was mounting,
the general public in Rhodesia was not yet being affected. There were at
present many loopholes in these sanctions and a number of countries were
either exploiting then deliberately or permitting them to continue by
default. We were doing all that we could to close the loopholes but it
was clear that we must continue our efforts over a long period before
sanctions became effective; and it was possible that the regime might
succeed in stabilising the internal economic situation in the country,
though at a lower standard of living than at present.
Rhodesie were worried, however, and this was reflected in continued
suggestions that we should reopen talks with the regime;
evidence that pressure was being exerted by South Africa,
Portugal, on the regime to re-open negotiations with us.
ourselves again take the initiative in starting talks in view of our
firm commitment not to grant independence before majority rule, which was unacceptable to the vast majority of Europeans in Rhodesia. Unless
circumstances in Rhodesia changed we had no alternative but to persevere
with our present policy, seek to tighten economic sanctions wherever
possible and consider further action on passports and an extension of
the stoplist.
there was also
and possibly
We could not
In discussion the Committee first considered the constitutional
aspects of the Rhodesian problem. There was general agreement that,
unless circumstances in Rhodesia changed, we should not take the
initiative in re-opening talks with the illegal regine. In any event
before we could agree to re-open talks, we would need to be assured that
those who negotiated on behalf of the regime would be able to carry out
any agreement which was reached. If circumstances were to change and
the extremists in the regime could be eliminated, it might be possible
to ask other Commonwealth countries that our commitment not to grant
independence before majority rule should be reconsidered, but we could
not contemplate this in present circumstances. The only action which
might usefully be taken at this stage would be if arrangements could be
made for Lord Alport, the former British High Commissioner to the
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland to pay an early visit to Rhodesia
to talk to the Governor and to attempt to influence opinion in the
country.
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