106. Telegram From the Department of State to the Consulate in Cape Town1
49690. For Ambassador Edmondson from the Secretary. Subject: Namibia: Message From the Secretary to Pik Botha.
1. Confidential (Entire text).
2. When I talked with Pik last night at 11:00 pm Washington time, he placed particular stress on the South African view that they have been deceived by the UN which has been doing everything possible to assist SWAPO.2 The flavor of our conversation was quite similar to [Page 282] the talk you had with the Prime Minister a bit later (Cape Town 414).3 I told Pik that I would look into his charges on an urgent basis, and I believe that we must deal with this problem of South Africa’s feeling of having been tricked if we are to be able to move ahead on Namibia. However, in order to respond to the SAG’s charges, we need some specifics, not just allegations that the UN is in SWAPO’s corner. Please deliver the message from me to Pik contained in para 3 below as soon as possible following his return from Windhoek.4
3. Begin text. Dear Pik: As I promised to do when we talked last night, I have given urgent attention to your view that South Africa has been the victim of duplicity and deception by and at the UN during the recent discussions of the Namibia question. I believe that we must get to the heart of this matter and resolve the problems which have arisen. We have invested too much in the search for a peaceful settlement in Namibia and the stakes are too high for us to allow this initiative to fail at the last minute.
In order to help me resolve this matter I would appreciate your help in providing me with specific facts and leads I could pursue. You may be sure that whatever you provide me will be treated with absolute confidence. If this suggestion is acceptable would you please give this information either to Ambassador Edmondson for transmission to me personally or send it to me through Ambassador Sole in Washington.
I feel sure that this latest problem can be overcome, as all of the previous ones have been, and that you can reach a final agreement with the United Nations on the arrangements for the transitional period. With warm regards, Cy. End text.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790093–0899. Confidential; Niact Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Thomas Niles (IO/UNP) and Vance; cleared by Newsom, Maynes, and Keeley; approved by Vance. Sent for information Immediate to USUN.↩
- No memorandum of their telephone conversation was found.↩
- See Document 105.↩
- In telegram 433 from Cape Town, March 2, the Embassy informed the Department that the Secretary’s message was delivered to Brand Fourie at 7:30 a.m. Edmondson noted that he delivered it “with a personal covering note to Pik asking him to let me know of any response I should convey or if I should indicate that something would be coming through Don Sole in Washington.” In a discussion about SWAPO armed forces in Namibia at the time of the ceasefire, Edmonson noted that Fourie said “‘it had been agreed’ that any such persons would either have to give up their arms or be arrested if they did not leave the territory. (His previous contention was that they had to be restricted to their bases outside Namibia.) I said I had never heard of such agreement and wondered if he could cite the date when this was discussed. He thought he could do so from verbatim records the SAG had kept.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790095–0798)↩