Letter from British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to South African President PW Botha, March 20 1986:
CONFIDENTIAL
MESSAGE TO THE STATE PRESIDENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER
Dear President Botha
Lord Barber has given me a full account of the Commonwealth Group's recent visit to South Africa. He had high praise for your Government's helpful attitude. The Group had seen everyone they wanted to see and had been given a fair hearing.
I understand that the Group will now be considering what they have learned and how they should take their initiative forward.
Their aim seems to be to submit their report to Heads of Government by mid-June. In the meantime they wisely intend to continue to avoid all publicity.
Lord Barber has explained to me the ideas - the Group's "possible negotiating concept"-which they set out during their discussions in Cape Town (see text below - Editor). He stressed that they had tried to build wherever possible on what they understood to be the positions of your Government. The results seem to me to contain much that is potentially helpful, particularly the insistence that the ANC and others must suspend violence as part of the action needed to bring about negotiations.
I do not know what response the Group will get from others.
But they saw the ANC in Lusaka before arriving in South Africa and I understand that they are not unhopeful that a concept on the lines suggested might be accepted by the ANC. If they felt that your 'Government's reaction opened the way to negotiations, I understand that they would go back to the ANC to try to secure a firm and public commitment to suspend violence for the duration of negotiations.
I very much hope, therefore, that you will be ready to engage in further discussions and negotiations about the Group's "possible negotiating concept". I continue to believe that their initiative offers a unique opportunity to make progress and that even those that were initially sceptical now share this view.
The Group's mix of African and Western representation and support gives it international credibility. By its discreet behaviour and exploratory style the Group has demonstrated its serious interest in contributing to a dialogue rather than making propaganda. In my view, there is no other way forward on offer which stands a remotely comparable chance of success or of securing the same international support for the peaceful solution of South African problems which you seek. Everything which I have heard convince me that such an outcome can be attained.
The Group's report will clearly be of major importance both in itself and in determining the degree to which other Governments are prepared to give dialogue in South Africa a chance to work.
Your response to their "Possible negotiating concept" will be the determining factor in shaping that report and subsequent steps.
They will also be looking for firm evidence that the far-reaching measures of reform within South Africa which you have outlined will be implemented rapidly. I shall go on arguing, as I did at Nassau, that your Government must be enabled to achieve a peaceful outcome. But I shall only stand a chance of convincing my Commonwealth colleagues of this if I can point to a constructive response from you to the Group's ideas.
I am the first to recognise that this faces you with very difficult and far-reaching decisions which involve the whole future of your country. But I think it vitally important that your Government should give the Group a response which would enable them to continue discussions with you. I understand that they are planning to meet again on 21 April. Some indication of your approach in advance of that meeting will therefore be vital for the future direction of their work.
If there is any way in which I can help, please do not hesitate to let me know.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely
MARGARET THATCHER
Text of the Eminent Persons Group paper "A Possible Negotiating Concept" March 20 1986
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF EPG PAPER
Begins
A POSSIBLE NEGOTIATING CONCEPT
The South African Government has declared its commitment to dismantling the system of apartheid, to ending racial discrimination and to broad based negotiations leading to new constitutional arrangements for power sharing by all the people of South Africa. In the light of preliminary and as yet incomplete discussions with representatives of various organisations and groups, within and outside South Africa, we believe that in the context of specific and meaningful steps being taken towards ending apartheid, the following additional action might ensure negotiations and a break in the cycle of violence.
On the part of the Government:
- Removal of military from townships, providing for freedom of assembly and discussion and suspension of detention without trial.
- The release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners and detainees.
- The unbanning of THA ANC and PAC and the permitting of normal political activity.
On the part of the ANC and others:
Entering negotiations and suspending violence.
It is our view that simultaneous announcement incorporating these ideas might be negotiated if the Government were to be interested in pursuing this broad approach.
In the light of the Governments indication to us that it
- is not in principle against the release of Mr Nelson Mandela and similar prisoners
- Is not opposed in principle to the unbanning of any organisations
- Is prepared to enter into negotiations with the acknowledged leaders of the people of South Africa
- Is committed to the removal of discrimination, not only from the statute books but also from South African society as a whole
- Is committed to the ending of white domination
- Will not prescribe who may represent black communities in negotiations on a new constitution for South Africa
- Is prepared to negotiate an open agenda.
The South African Government may wish to give serious consideration to the approach outlined in this note.
Sources: Margaret Thatcher Foundation
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