[clari.canada.general] Mandela:

clarinews@clarinet.com (Kelly/Standard Broadcast News, Ottawa) (02/03/90)

	(OTTAWA) Nelson Mandela could be released from prison in a matter
of days.  That's the prediction of of South Africa's Ambassador to
Canada in an exclusive interview with Standard Broadcast News.
	Ambassador Hennie de Klerk says Mandela will be released from
prison in two weeks at the most.  He says Mandela is being held in
prison, for now, for his own safety. 
	The South African government fears a possible backlash to the
latest reforms to apartheid.  De Klerk is playing down speculation that
the black activist is refusing to leave because a state of emergency
still exists in that country.
	He says one of the African National Congress leaders states that
Mandela is prepared to leave his prison home tomorrow and says
conditions haven't been imposed as far as he knows.
	In an address to Parliament today, South Africa's President
announced Mandela's future release, but didn't lift the state of
emergency.