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021063
MDHIAN 4548
PRISONERS, THE REPEAL OF THE GROUP AREAS ACT AND LAND ACTS, ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE REPEAL OF THE POPULATION REGISTRATION ACT, AGREEMENT ON PRINCIPLES OF THE FUTURE CONSTITUTION, AN INDEMNITY PERMITTING THE RETURN OF EXILES, AND REFORM OF SECURITY LEGISLATION) BEFORE WE WOULD RELAX SANCTIONS, WE WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE SAYING THAT WE WERE PREPARED TO MOVE ONLY ONCE THE PROCESS OF REFORM WAS PRACTICALLY COMPLETED.
4. PERPINA (SPAIN) PROPOSED THE IMMEDIATE LIFTING OF THE BAN ON NEW
INVESTMENTS TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SITUATION IN SOUTH AFRICA AND TO ENCOURAGING MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE COMPLETE ABOLITION OF APARTHEID. RELAXATION OF OTHER MEASURES COULD AWAIT FURTHER PROGRESS. BELGIUM, ITALY, PORTUGAL, GREECE AND LUXEMBURG SUPPORTED THIS PROPOSAL.
5. WESTON (UK), EMPHASISING THE NEED TO SEND AN IMMEDIATE SIGNAL OF ENCOURAGEMENT, QUOTED FROM THE ANC DOCUMENT REPORTED IN PRETORIA TELNO 509 (NOT TO ALL). IT NOTED THAT SANCTIONS WERE ERODING OVER A WIDE FRONT, THAT THE ANC NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS NOW INSTEAD OF WAITING FIRST FOR FURTHER POLITICAL CHANGES AND THAT TO CONTINUE TO CALL FOR THE MAINTENANCE
OF SANCTIONS WHEN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S ACTIONS WERE IN
FACT ERODING THEM WOULD BE SEEN AS A MAJOR DEFEAT. THIS WAS ON ELOQUENT ADMISSION BY THE ANC OF THE POSITION TO WHICH WE HAD DRAWN ATTENTION AT EARLIER POLITICAL COMMITTEES. HE LATER ALSO QUOTED
TAMBO'S STATEMENT ABOUT THE ANC RECOGNISING THE NEED TO REVIEW
SANCTIONS POLICY.
6. DUFOURCQ (FRANCE) SAID THAT MANDELA'S LETTER TO EC HEADS OF GOVERNMENT COULD NOT BE IGNORED. IT STATED THAT ANY REVIEW OF SANCTIONS SHOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL FEBRUARY/MARCH. FRANCE THEREFORE SUPPORTED OPTION C. KASTRUP (FRG) INDICATED THAT HIS POSITION WAS SIMILAR BUT ANNOUNCED HIS WILLINGNESS TO DROP THE LAST
2 CONDITIONS (WHICH HAD BEEN ADDED AT GERMAN SUGGESTION). WESTON
POINTED OUT THAT ALL 4 CONDITIONS COULD NOT BE FULFILLED BEFORE
MID-1991. WAS IT REALLY THE INTENTION OF THOSE WHO DID NOT FAVOUR IMMEDIATE RELAXATION THAT IT SHOULD BE PUT OFF UNTIL AT LEAST JUNE. THE UK STRONGLY SUPPORTED IMMEDIATE ACTION BUT, IF OTHERS INSISTED ON POSTPONEMENT, IT SEEMED UNREASONABLE TO IMPOSE CONDITIONS HARSHER THAN THOSE WHICH MR MANDELA HIMSELF APPEARED TO FAVOUR IN HIS LETTER. HE ASKED FOR A REVIEW OF SANCTIONS TO BE PUT OFF ONLY UNTIL FEBRUARY/MARCH. LOGICALLY, THIS WOULD FOLLOW THE TABLING OF THE LEGISLATION ON THE GROUP AREAS AND LAND ACTS IN THE NEST PARLIAMENTARY SESSION WHICH BEGAN ON 1 FEBRUARY. DUFOURCQ INDICATED
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