§ Sir Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Warwick and leamington of 22 February, Official Report, column 556, he will endeavour to persuade the South West Africa People's Organisation to enter into direct negotiations with South Africa for a ceasefire and a disengagement of forces in Southern Angola and Namibia.
§ Mr. WhitneyI understand that both SWAPO and the South African Government have declared their willingness to enter into direct negotiations. We would naturally welcome such contacts whenever the parties consider they would help towards agreement on an early Namibian settlement on the basis on SCR 435. Meanwhile, Mr. Nujoma has stated that SWAPO will observe the terms of the recent disengagement agreement reached between the Angolan and South African Government with the assistance of the United States Government.