patth@ccnysci.UUCP (Patt Haring) (09/04/89)
KAUNDA-DE KLERK MEETING REVEALS LITTLE Zambia's President Kenneth Kaunda and South African acting President, F W. de Klerk, have revealed little of the specifics of their discussions in Livingstone on Monday. In the view of some observers they used the opportunity to size up each other on major regional issues. Following Monday's talks at the Zambian border town, the two leaders revealed only the barest of details about follow-up moves. The future of South Africa and getting the Angolan peace plan back on track were the major issues discussed, which the leaders described as "useful". However, back in South Africa, De Klerk emphasised in a television interview on August 28 that the ANC had not been mentioned in the discussions. "There was no attempt on [Kaunda's] side whatsoever to state the ANC's case or to act as an intermediary, either directly or indirectly", he said. On the Gbadolite agreement and the Angolan peace process, De Klerk said that Kaunda said he would consult with other heads of state "and come back to us". ZAMBIA 'WILL NOT UNDERMINE STRUGGLE' At no time has Zambia's President Kaunda "undermined the legitimate interests of the struggling people of South Africa", according to Zambia's ambassador to the European Community. Nor could the "mere persistence of a 13-year-old economic crisis" make Zambia easily abandon the struggle, he said he said in a letter to SouthScan this week. Earlier SouthScan had reported on a circular issued by the Congress of South African Trade Unions, saying there were divisions in the frontline states and that Kaunda was putting strong pressure on the African National Congress (SouthScan v4/30 p219). In his letter ambassador Kapembe Nsingo, said: "When Zambia is talking about the negotiations in South Africa, she makes it clear that such negotiations have to be preceded by a number of pre-conditions, which pre-conditions are the same as those advocated by the principal executors of the struggle inside and outside South Africa". On Zambia's economic situation he said: "How can anyone now state that by taking corrective economic measures such as adjusting an exchange rate in response to economic forces we would now yield to the pressure of South Africa whose money we do not need and succumb to British dictates..." Zambia had not recently closed its borders to stabilise its currency but to "re-direct liquidity back into the formal banking system, deal with tax evasion and stave off smuggling of both currency and goods". The 60% devaluation was "not in historical comparison an indicator of a sudden downturn in the fortunes of a country whose economic crisis rests squarely with the inequities of the existing world order". Zambia, he said, would never trade money for the blood of the innocent victims of apartheid. We have shed blood ourselves to ensure that Southern Africa is free". ZAIRE REFUGEES RETURN A total of 2,500 Zairean refugees living in Angola and 3,000 Angolans living in Zaire are to be repatriated to their respective countries between now and the end of the year, according to agency reports on August 26. The exchange has been set up in terms of an arrangement between the two governments and the UN High Commission for Refugees. --- Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=- -- Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-