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In further discussion there was support for the view that a decision on the South African request ought to be taken as part of a more general review of our policies towards Southern Africa, which would include our policy in respect of Rhodesia and the question of the extension of oil sanctions to Mozambique, both subjects which were under consideration interdepartmentally by officials. By failing to look at these policies as a whole we ran the risk of offending both South Africa (by refusing to supply defence equipment) and Middle African countries (by refusing to support, and perhaps even vetoing at the United Nations), a wider oil embargo against Rhodesia. À bargain with South Africa in which we
relaxed somewhat our criteria for the supply of defence equipment in
exchange for specific and certain South African assistance to bring about
an acceptable solution of the Rhodesian problem might be acceptable. We
should accordingly consider what specific contribution we might seek from
the South Africans; though doubt was expressed whether any substantial contribution was likely to prove practicable.
THE PRIME MINISTER, summing up the discussion, said that the South
African request presented general issues of principle and raised more
specific political considerations. The ban on supplying arms to South
Africa had always been qualified, but the existing qualifications were of a different order from the relaxation now proposed. We had always
drawn a distinction, in relation to South Africa and also to Spain and
Eastern Europe, between supplying arms and maintaining general trade
relations. This distinction was understood by our critics; at the 1966
Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference a number of Commonwealth Prime
Ministers had specifically said that they recognised that we could not
be asked to enter into an economic confrontation with South Africa. In
view of the doubts expressed in discussion, Ministers concerned should
consider the issues further, with a view to a further discussion, as a matter of urgency, in which the supply of arms would be considered in the
wider context of our policies towards Southern Africa. From this review
it might emerge that we could put to South Africa proposals for their
specific assistance to us in relation to the Rhodesian problem, as a conditionprecedent of our agreeing to supply the defence equipment which
she sought.
The Committee
(1) Invited the Foreign Secretary, in consultation with the Defence and Commonwealth Secretaries, to circulate for their consideration a memorandum on the Government's policy in respect of Southern Africa as a whole, on the basis indicated by the Prime Minister in his summing up of their discussion.
(2) Agreed to resume their discussion on the export of arms
to South Africa in the light of conclusion” (1).
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