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

Secto 4058. Cape Town for Embassy. Subject: Rhodesia: Secretary’s Meeting April 15 With Nyerere.

1. President Nyerere requested private meeting with US–UK afternoon April 15. Secretary, Dr. Owen, Spain, Graham, Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mkapa and Presidential Secretary Mdee were present.

2. Nyerere said he had just finished meeting with Front Line and Nigerian Foreign Ministers. He would continue to urge on the Patriotic Front the importance of defining functions of Resident Commissioner so that RC had all the powers he needed. He brushed aside question of division of seats on Governing Council, saying that if Resident Commissioner had power he needed, that was all that counted during transition period. However, political realities of PF power should be reflected on Council.

3. Nyerere thought question of clarifying UN role could be worked out. (PF now preparing paper on this.)

4. However, Nyerere has come to believe that PF case on police role is strong one, and the Front Line cannot deny them something in this area. The existing police are really Smith’s. They don’t have to go, but they must be balanced with PF’s own people. “What is wrong with three-men-in-a-Jeep?”

5. Owen responded that he understood the reasons for many of the PF’s demands. Perhaps, in a subsequent and different set of circumstances, they might be practical. However, the proposals to take power in key areas out of the RC’s hands, to give dominant power to the PF on the Council, and to change the whole character of the police appara[Page 604]tus were simply not part of the Anglo-American Plan. Apart from their being new and retrogressive, they would upset the fragile balance of the AAP. Owen did not see how we could accept them.

6. Secretary emphasized that Resident Commissioner was key part of AAP. He saw no possibility for success if his power diluted. Equity and representative character were important on Governing Council: To the other parties and to international opinion, including that in the US. He asked if PF insistence on police role grew out of their desire when they came home to Zimbabwe for visible manifestation of their successful struggle. Nyerere said “not primarily,” it grew out of need to “balance” regime police force. He asked US–UK to give all we could on police force. At end of meeting all agreed on importance of not letting efforts of past year go down drain.

7. Comment: Nyerere was testing temper of US–UK before making his final approach to PF. Nyerere can be counted on to be helpful on powers of Resident Commissioner. But key issue is going to be on police, and all we can expect there is that he will reflect US–UK strong feelings on the subject. All we have for sure at the moment is agreement (confirmed by PF in private meetings this morning) on the continuing desirability of an all parties conference.

Vance
  1. Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Cyrus R. Vance, Secretary of State—1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance EXDIS MemCons, 1978. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Sent for information Immediate to Gaborone, Dar es Salaam, Cape Town, Lagos, London, Lusaka, Maputo, Pretoria, and USUN.