97. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in South Africa1
290834. Subject: Namibia: Message From the Secretary to Foreign Minister Botha.
1. Ambassador should hand deliver following personal message to Foreign Minister Botha from the Secretary as soon as you can arrange to do so. You should let Botha know in manner you feel most appropriate that we were surprised by ticker reports that Botha has recently belittled the possibility of the Western powers agreeing to sanctions against his country. He would be wise to make no such assumption about how Western governments would react if South Africa turned her back upon an internally2 agreed solution in Namibia:
2. Begin quote: Dear Pik:
With the conclusion of the latest phase of the Security Council’s debate on Namibia, I believe that it is of the utmost importance that South Africa move rapidly to hold the discussions with UN officials [Page 260] as provided for in our joint statement of October 19.3 I understand that domestic political considerations prevent your departure from South Africa prior to November 26. However, you are doubtless aware of the fact that the Secretary General must report to the Security Council under Resolution 4394 on November 25. Consequently, I strongly urge that you send Brand Fourie or another senior South African official to New York to initiate discussions with the Secretary General as soon as possible. These discussions would, I hope, lead to agreement on the remaining outstanding issues and agreement on a date for UNTAG to deploy in Namibia.
On the subject of your discussions with the Secretary General, I was concerned to learn that your Charge in New York, Mr. Eksteen, had informed the Secretary General that you would not be in a position to reach firm agreements with the Secretary General but that you would have to return to Pretoria prior to reaching a decision. This approach could well be interpreted in the UN as a delaying tactic on your part. Mr. Fourie’s prior visit would, I hope, clear away the preliminary phase and allow you to reach a firm agreement with Secretary General Waldheim since your government would have had an opportunity to review Mr. Fourie’s discussions prior to your departure for New York.
There is also a fundamental point which vitally affects the prospects for an internationally accepted settlement of the Namibia dispute and the future of our bilateral relations. I am most concerned at conflicting reports regarding remarks by Judge Steyn and others to the effect that a Constituent Assembly would be formed on the basis of December 4–8 elections and that this assembly would draft a constitution. If these comments accurately reflect your government’s intent, I must say that they do not conform to our discussions in Pretoria.
If your government should permit the unilateral formation of a Constituent Assembly in Namibia or otherwise endorse an internal settlement, your government will be responsible for the failure of UN efforts to resolve peacefully the Namibian problem and the results that would follow.
In view of the urgency of this situation, I would appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible. Sincerely, Cy. End quote.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, State Department Out, Box 114, 11/12–17/78. Confidential; Sensitive; Immediate; Nodis. Sent for information Immediate to USUN. Sent for information to London, Bonn, Paris, Ottawa, Lagos, Lusaka, Dar es Salaam, Maputo, and the White House. Printed from a copy that was received in the White House Situation Room. Drafted by Thomas Niles (IO/UNP); cleared by Charles W. Maynes (IO), Moose, and James Nach (AF/S); approved by Vance. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840139–1833)↩
- In telegram 291472 to Pretoria, November 16, the Department notified the Embassy of a correction to the message from Vance to Botha. The Embassy was instructed to change “internally” to “internationally.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840139–1845)↩
- See footnote 3, Document 96.↩
- UNSC Resolution 439 (1978), adopted on November 13, condemned South Africa’s decision to proceed with elections in Namibia in early December, in contravention of UNSC Resolutions 385 (1976) and 435 (1978), and called upon the South African Government to cancel immediately the planned election. The resolution required Waldheim to report on the progress of implementation by November 25. (Yearbook of the United Nations, 1978, p. 916)↩