179. Telegram From Secretary of State Vance to the Department of State1

Secto 12013. Lagos pass McHenry. Subject: Rhodesia: Secretary’s Meeting With Owen.

1. Secretary Vance met with David Owen morning of December 8. They agreed on number of steps that could be taken in order to push forward the Anglo-American initiative on Rhodesia. They also recognized that both the timing and manner of implementing these steps would to some degree depend on whatever develops in Smith’s internal talks and the results of a possible meeting with Nkomo in London.

2. The Secretary asked for Owen’s view on a visit to Maputo by Lord Carver. Owen said he had no difficulty with the proposal and that Lord Carver was anxious to go. The Foreign Secretary, however, said he understood Chissano had informed us that a visit would not be possible until after Machel’s return from Nigeria and probably, therefore, some time in January. The Secretary said we might nevertheless be able to advance the timing of the Carver trip, particularly if we enlisted Obasanjo’s support. Owen agreed that we should make the appropriate contact with the Nigerians.

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3. The parties discussed at some length the status of the independence constitution and the provisions for the transition. Owen reported that the constitution was close to a final version, and that Lord Carver’s staff had also worked out more detailed proposals for the composition of the army and the role of the United Nations forces. Moose commented that the inclusion of an Advisory Council in the transition government was a positive addition, but that the proposal could be cast in a more positive fashion. Owen agreed and added that some amplification was needed in the description of how the police would function during this period and suggested a closer supervisory role for the UN forces in relation to the police as a means of allaying Patriotic Front suspicion of Smith’s police. There then followed some discussion on the advisability of publishing the draft independence constitution. The parties agreed that this might be a useful instrument for maintaining pressure on both Smith and the Patriotic Front and for stiffening the negotiating hand of Sithole and Muzorewa. We will consult further on the possible timing of publication.

4. The Secretary and Owen also agreed that the time was right to bring the South Africans abreast of developments. They concluded it would not be appropriate for Lord Carver to visit Pretoria, and agreed instead that Brand Fourie should be invited to London. Owen felt it would be especially worthwhile to describe to Fourie in some detail our plans for law and order in the transition and for the new Zimbabwe army. The British will contact Fourie with an invitation to come to London within the next two weeks. The Secretary suggested Dick Moose might also join the discussions and said that a decision as to whether the meeting should be publicized or not ought to be left to Fourie.

5. The Secretary asked for Owen’s thoughts on how the US and UK should react to expected demands in the United Nations for oil sanctions against South Africa. He described the draft Indian resolution2 and asked whether Owen agreed it would be tactically advisable to put forward a draft ourselves in the expectation that a stronger resolution might be proposed by an African group. Owen responded that the Indian resolution presented legal difficulties for the UK particularly on questions of jurisdiction over subsidiaries operating abroad. He commented that while the Indian draft does not require a commitment to do anything, it nevertheless raises important issues. Holloway described our belief that pressure is building in the UN that the US and UK should consult on tactics before the General Assembly adjourns [Page 521] later this month. Owen agreed to review the issue and said he would be back in touch with us within a week.

6. The Secretary raised the question of whether we should be working toward a meeting with Front Line Presidents. Owen said he supported the objective but questioned the timing. He agreed that if a meeting could indeed be arranged, it ought to occur some time before the February OAU conference and suggested late January as a possibility. He said he was still uncertain whether a meeting with the Front Line Presidents could in fact be arranged and at what level we should participate.

Vance
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770456–0935. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Sent for information Immediate to Pretoria, Lusaka, Maputo, Lagos, London, USUN, Dar es Salaam, and Gaborone. Vance was in Brussels for the NATO Ministerial meeting.
  2. In telegram 2878 from USUN, September 2, the Mission transmitted the text of the draft. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770319–0459)