Word: rhodesian
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...deny that Rhodesians are united," said jubilant Prime Minister Ian Smith. Presumably he meant white Rhodesians only-and if so, his victory statement was right on. In what may be the last election under Rhodesia's present constitution, Smith's ruling Rhodesian Front Party won all 50 parliamentary seats reserved for the country's 268,000 whites (the 6.4 million blacks have 16) and 86% of the popular vote. The right-wing Rhodesian Action Party, which had accused Smith of preparing a "capitulation" to some sort of black participation in government, drew only 9% of the vote...
...minds of two roving envoys who landed in Salisbury the morning after the ballots were counted: Britain's Foreign Secretary, Dr. David Owen, and Washington's Ambassador to the United Nations, Andrew Young. Their mission was to present Smith with a new Anglo-American proposal for a Rhodesian settlement-and from the beginning they had little hope that he would heed...
...peace-keeping organization that would maintain order and oversee a plan to create a new, mixed Rhodesian force composed of some elements of the present Rhodesian army and the Patriotic Front forces...
...Lusaka conference was going on, Smith flew to Pretoria for talks with Vorster. The two leaders are likely to focus their objections to the U.S.-British proposal on two aspects: first, the plan would require Smith's resignation, and second, it would mean disbanding some units of the Rhodesian army, including the notorious Selous Scouts, and allowing a U.N. peace-keeping force to come in. Young, for his part, professes optimism that Smith will realize that "Rhodesian whites cannot win" and thus take the peace proposal seriously. At the same time, Young says he discerns among black nationalist leaders...
Smith is not expected to run into any real trouble in capturing a majority. Despite the general apathy, the polls gave his Rhodesian Front party 61% of the vote, compared with less than 4% for the far-right Rhodesian Action Party. Whether Smith's likely victory will prove to be a new lease on power or only a last gasp remains to be seen. But barring a stunning surprise, of which he is certainly capable, Smith was expected to turn humbs down on the U.S.-British proposal -thus buying a little more time, if not a solution...