P R l E NA11NI.
FOR MEDIA 16 NOVEMBER 1979
RHODESIAN CONSTITUTIONAL CONP41ERE'J, CE
The Prime Minister, the Rt. Honourable Malcolm Fraser, C. II., M. P.,
said today that the Australian Government warmly welcomed the
announcement from London that agreement has been reached at the
Rhodesian Constitutional Conference on arrangements for the
transitional period leading to the holding of elections in
Rhodesia and the subsequent granting of legal independence
from Britain.
This represents a major step towards a just settlement of the
problemts that have for many years brought tragedy and suffering
to countless thousands of people in Rhodesia and neighbouring
countri-es.
Britain's decision to convene the Constitutional Conference
followed consideration of the problem at the recent Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting in Lusaka. At that meeting Australia
played an active part in helping to establish agreement on the
principles on which the London Conference is based. Since then,
the Australian Government has followed the proceedings of the
Conference with deep interest, and Australian views have been
conveyed to the partLies principal and to other Commonwealth
leaders aZ the Conferen-ce has oroceed7ed.
The Conference has now moved through its first two phases,
concerning the Constitution and transitional arrangements. it
is now entering its third and final phase, discussion of ceasefire
arrangements. Agreement on this will complete the work of the
Conference and enable elections to take place. As -the Deputy
Prime Minister announced on 9 November,' the Australian Government
has indicated its willingness to participate in a Commonwealth
group to monitor the ceasefire in Rhodesia, provided that all
parties to the Conference reach final agreement on a settlement,
and provided satisfactory arrangements for the Australian
contribution are worked out with the British Government.
That the Conference has come so far already, the Prime Minister
said, reflects the skill of Lord Carrington's chairmanship and
the willingness of all parties at the Conference to compromise
in the interests of achieving a long-sought settlement which
would have far-reaching benefits for the peace and security of
all Southern Africa. All too often in the last thirty years,
2
people have resorted to arms to resolve their political
difficulties. This has been the case in Rhodesia, where
difficult. problems of decolonisation have been complicated
by the problem of race. Over the years this has led to the
division of the people of Rhodesia into various contending
groups, and to fighting and tensions between them which has
flowed over into neighbouring countries and affected the
peace and stability of the entire region.
It is the strongly held hope of the
Australian Government and people, and it is a hope that I share
to the full, that the agreement reached in London reflects a
lasting understanding among all the parties to the conflict
that their happiness and security is inextricably linked to
peace and the resolution of differences through peaceful means,
tolerance and negotiated settlement. While fighting continues,
the suffering and hardship will grow and racial tensions will
increase even further, with the possibility of substantial
interference by super powers. The dignity of the people of
Southern Africa, the integrity of Southern Africa and the
progress of Southern Africa demand a settlement. And that
settlement may now be in sight.
The success of the London Conference to date represents a most
notable advance. It provides us with some real hope that with
patience and good faith the spirit of Lusaka can prevail over
the hatreds and suspicions of the past decades. If this can
be achieved, then the people of Rhodesia can look forward to
an optimistic future of a kind that has escaped them for far
too long, and the achievements of the past few months will
become an example for the rest of the world.