CAB148-30-Defence and Oversea Policy Committee Meetings Relating to 1967 Disturbances-1967 — Page 179

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2. RHODESIA:

ACTION IN EVENT OF DECLARATION OF REPUBLIC

(Previous Reference: OPD (67) 16th Meeting Minutes)

The Committee considered a memorandum by the Commonwealth Secretary (OFD(67) 31) about action in the event of a declaration of a republic by the

illegal regime.

THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY said that at their meeting on 19th April (OPD (67) 16th Meeting) the Committee had invited him to give further

consideration to a statement of guidance on the issue of loyalty in the event of the illegal regime declaring a republic. Although it was improbable that

the declaration of a republic was imminent there had been indications that

the Constitutional Commission appointed by the regime night report in about

two months' time and its report might well contain recommendations for a

republic and other constitutional changes of a reactionary nature. The

leader of the regime, Mr. Smith, would probably not be anxious to proceed

so far as the declaration of a republic, but if and when such a declaration

came to be made it was desirable that the Government should react strongly.

Questions of loyalty on the part of Rhodesian civil servants, the armed forces

and the judges would be involved, as well as the future of our Residual Mission

in Salisbury, and other action of an executive nature would be called for.

He had therefore been considering further the range of action which might

be open to us and the terms of a possible statement which might be made in

the event of a declaration of a republic, a draft of which was attached to OPD (67) 31 for consideration of the Committee.

our best

In discussion, considerable doubt was expressed about the terms of the

draft statement. The point was made that it was unlikely that the regime

would be brought to total capitulation by our policy of sanctions;

hope was that the leadership should be divided, leading to a return to

legality. In such circumstances it was in our interest that the services

of all moderate Rhodesians, including those in the public services and armed

forces, should be retained for the future organisation and administration

of Rhodesia. From this point of view it was undesirable in the event of

a declaration of a republic to threaten civil servants with charges of treason if they continued to work with the republican regime. A preferable line to

that proposed in the draft statement would be on the following lines: It was recognised that the declaration of a republic imposed a new and different

kind of strain on Rhodesian public servants. In these circumstances, those

who felt that they must now resign should do so and we would assist them

financially whether or not they remained in Rhodesia. As to those who

decided to remain in service, their case would be considered by us after a

return to legality in the light of the extent to which they had actively

promoted a republican regime.

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