Mr. Robert HughesTo ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's position on the Organisation of Africa Unity declaration on South Africa, adopted in Harare on 21 August.
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§ The Prime MinisterWe do not believe that it is for outsiders to prescribe constitutional solutions to South Africa's problems. South Africans themselves must decide their own future. However, we welcome signs that the ANC is now thinking seriously about a negotiating process.
Mr. Robert HughesTo ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will make a statement on the Commonwealth Heads of Government document, "Southern Africa: The Way Ahead.";
(2) if she will make a statement on the document, "Southern Africa: The Way Ahead: Britain's View."
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Member to the statement I made earlier this afternoon.
Mr. Robert HughesTo ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to call upon the Governments of the United States of America, the Nordic countries and others to maintain existing sanctions and other measures against South Africa, as agreed at the Kuala Lumpur meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth.
§ The Prime MinisterBritain agreed with all other Commonwealth countries at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting the passage in the Kuala Lumpur statement on Southern Africa
that all existing sanctions and measures should be maintained and called upon the wider international community to do likewise.
Mr. Robert HughesTo ask the Prime Minister if she will publish in theOfficial Report a statement on the progress that Her Majesty's Government believe has been made towards dismantling the pillars of apartheid.
§ The Prime MinisterProgress towards the dismantling of apartheid has included the abolition of the pass laws and influx control, the ending of job reservation on a racial basis, the granting of freehold property rights to all South Africans, the legalisation of black trades unions and the lifting of many restrictions on black small businesses. There have also been substantial moves towards the desegregation of public amenities. The release of eight long-term security prisoners and the granting of permission for peaceful demonstrations are welcome steps in the right direction. We will continue to seek the total abolition of apartheid, including the repeal of the remaining discriminatory legislation which forms the legal basis of apartheid, and its peaceful replacement by a system of government acceptable to all South Africans.
Mr. Robert HughesTo ask the Prime Minister if she will publish in theOfficial Report, in relation to the document, "Southern Africa: The Way Ahead: Britain's View", when it was released, when it was decided to release the document and on which previous occasions Her Majesty's Government has issued a formal document of explanation further to a Commonwealth statement.
§ The Prime Minister"Southern Africa: The Way Ahead: Britain's View" is not a formal document. It is a statement setting out our views on those passages of the Kuala Lumpur statement with which we disagreed and on how we see the way forward. At previous meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government I have expressed publicly Britain's views on matters which have arisen in discussion.