Word: vorster
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...John Vorster is not yet prepared to negotiate a meaningful change in South Africa's system of apartheid, or "separate development." Late last week, though, the government announced some concessions "to eliminate outmoded practices that cause discontent." Henceforth, coloreds and Asians will be allowed to set up businesses in all industrial areas of the country and engage in trade outside their residential ghettos. They will also be able to serve on boards of racially mixed unions, and have been promised equal opportunity with whites in the civil service. Most of the rioting coloreds, however, are students with little Interest...
...Vorster is convinced that if the Rhodesian and Namibian problems can be settled, his own country will gain some precious time in which to build a genuine détente with black Africa. For that reason he welcomed the Zurich meeting. For the benefit of his conservative constituency, he criticized a speech in which Kissinger openly denounced apartheid, and fretted that he would not negotiate with him on the Sabbath.* In truth, Vorster came to Zurich a chastened man prepared to do business. For his part, the Secretary easily extracted from Vorster enough concessions to justify the meeting...
Kissinger and Vorster met at neighboring mountainside hotels in the suburban section of Bolder. Both were whisked from the airport to their hotels in an orange Sikorsky helicopter, high above the city of Zurich and far from any demonstrators. Over dinner (at which the South Africans were hosts) and lunch (given by the Americans) and in between, the two leaders talked for a total of 13 hours, reviewing the southern African situation in considerable detail. Though neither was prepared to disclose the substance of the talks, it is known that the chief subjects discussed were Namibia and Rhodesia...
NAMIBIA. This was the easier one-the bottom-line issue that alone made the meeting worthwhile. South Africa had already agreed to Namibian independence by Dec. 31,1978, under a multiracial government. Vorster still refused to deal directly with the South West African People's Organization (SWAPO), Namibia's main liberation (and guerrilla) movement. But he hinted that SWAPO could be invited to the round-table conference-now under way at Windhoek, the Namibian capital -by conference delegates. He also indicated that South Africa might be willing to move Namibia's independence date forward...
RHODESIA. Vorster declared publicly that he was not prepared to put pressure on Rhodesia's Smith. In truth, he has been doing it for some time. Last year South Africa withdrew 2,000 of its paramilitary police from Rhodesia. Recently it pulled out 50 helicopter pilots, crew chiefs and technicians. Two weeks ago, South African Foreign Minister Hilgard Muller said Pretoria now regards the principle of black majority rule in Rhodesia as "acceptable." Privately, Vorster is said to believe Smith (a former R.A.F. pilot who Vorster feels is "refighting the Battle of Britain") must become more flexible. Vorster...