Word: smiths
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...campaign-will be to get what he calls an internal settlement." This means forging a multiracial government that would, he hopes, include at least one relatively moderate black nationalist leader, like Bishop Abel Muzorewa or the Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole, both of whom are currently inside Rhodesia. By so doing, Smith reasons, he would be conforming to international insistence that his white minority government give way to black majority rule. Smith's goal clearly, is to prevent the "external" Patriotic Front headed by Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo-the nationalist organization that controls most of the black guerrilla army-from...
None of the black leaders seem prepared to play Smith's game. "Don't make me laugh," snapped Nkomo. "We mean to push that man out of power and we shall do it." Mugabe said that his guerrillas would fight anybody involved with Smith-regardless of the color of his skin and whether or not he wore a clerical collar. But even the "internal" and moderate black leaders resisted the Smith ploy. Muzorewa said ie was prepared to talk with Smith-but only if the negotiations were based on an immediate transition to black rule Muzorewa added that...
Killed Off. Smith's announcement of elections caused consternation in Washington and London. Western diplomats reasoned that a renewed Smith mandate would prove almost nothing since only 7,500 of Rhodesia's 6.5 million blacks are eligible to vote under the present system. The diplomats doubted that Smith could win the cooperation of any major black leaders, and in any case they were convinced that a settlement must include the Patriotic Front...
...Anglo-American initiative broke down over the question of who should hold power during the crucial transition period. The blacks insisted that Smith should step down and relinquish all control over the security forces; Smith will not do that unless law-and-order is guaranteed, and understandably enough, he will not allow the guerrilla forces to take over that function. One possible solution: an international peace-keeping force for the transition period-but the U.S., Britain and several other nations have indicated that they want no part...
British Foreign Secretary David Owen concluded that Smith's call for elections had "killed off, for the time being," any chance of a negotiated settlement. At week's end he flew to Washington for discussions with U S Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, but nobody expected another initiative right away. "What we need is a new idea," remarked a U.S. diplomat to an inquiring journalist. "If you ve got one, would you mind sending it over...