Sir_alec's Romance with Rhodesta

from Anti-Apartheid News The Rhodesian problem has probably inspired more column inches of arrant nonsense in the British press than any other single issue, and the visit there of that nice conservative — Sir Alec Dougias Home ~ on his way home from South Africa, has provo ked some classic additions to the range, writes Robert Springer. Most British correspondents in Salisbury appeer to have been affected by what passes in Rhodesia for subtle diplomacy the continual insistance that a settlement with 4ritain is just around the corner. The twin motives for this conception are fairly clear, so far as the Rhodesians are concerned. It is a way of belstering morale at home and piming the blame for the failure of negotiations on the British. It is less clear why British correspondents are taken in by Rnodesian optimism, particularly since it is by now the fifth or sixth time around for the "new hope for a last minute settlement" routine, Both the Express and the Telegraph have reported — wrongly - that Sir Alec's visit was the culminating stage in a series of negotiations between Britain and Rhodesia, which had been carried on at official level. The visit was certainly made with the blessing of the Comrmonwealth office, Sir Alec saw Mr Thompson, the Commoriwealth Secretary, both before he went and when he came back, His purpose was to see whether Mr Smith was prepared to make sufficient modificabions to his terms for a settlement to eneble Mr Thompson to restart negotiations without too much loss of face. But the most reliable evidence is that there has been no Government to Government contact since Mr Thompson's visit in November. Sir Alec's "suggestions" seem certain to include the recommendation that negotiations should be resumed, however meagre the ccncessions offered by Mr Smith, If nothing else, it would delay by a few months a decision by the Conservatives to dissociate themselves from the Government's Rhodesia policy. If the leaks froin Salisbury are to be believed, then Mr Smith's main "concession" is to drop the insistance that, under the constitution, all African members of the Upper House should be tribal Chiefs. This is of only marginal importanceThere id no sign that he will change his demand that a blecking third" cf seats in the lower house snall be elected on the main~ ly European "A" roll, This would give the Europeans the chance to reduce ° the number of "B" roll seats to prevent the Africans gaining a majority. The level of unreality which the whole discusstion has reached was illustrated in a report in The Times . "The impression gained" itsaid, "is that Sir Alec is exploring the possibility of devising a constitutional formula which would both give Mr Smith a braking mechanism and meet the British resistance on guaranteed progress towards majsrity rule." The fact that these two concepts are directly incompatible does not bother The Times ‘any more than it bothers the Rhodesians,. For Mr Smith md his henchman are still convinced that the only requirement is for a tricksy formula which while showing clearly that the Rhodesians have won their point , can still be accepted without too much hypocrisy by the British Government. They believe that their long spun out threat to declare Rhodesia a republic is the ultimate deterrant which will enable them to gain such a settlement.