PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 28 OCTOBER 1985
The Commonwealth Accord on Southern Africa, concluded at
Nassau last week, included as one of its important elements
a decision to establish a small group of eminent
Commonwealth persons to encourage a process of dialogue and
reform.-in South Africa.
Mr Malcolm Fraser has accepted the Government's request to
serve as a member of the group.
The central objective to which I and other Commonwealth
leaders addressed ourselves at Nassau was to see an
effective process of change and reform begun in South
Africa. The core elements of Australia's approach to the Meeting
were a two-pronged strategy of a package of measures of
pressure, for implementation against a timetable of action,
and mechanisms for dialogue. Those elements were accepted
by other leaders and are embodied in the Accord.
The measures agreed on by the Commonwealth against South
Africa build effectively on the steps that have been taken
in recent weeks by the international community notably the
United States, the European Community, and other countries
including Australia.
It was not our purpose at Nassau to impose sanctions
measures for their own sake. we all recognised the
desirability of the Commonwealth playing its own
constructive role to develop proposals to assist the
peaceful transition of South Africa to a non-racial society
based on universal adult suffrage.
Commonwealth leaders acknowledged that it was for the people
of South Africa themselves to work out the details of their
own political and constitutional future. We realised that
it would not be appropriate for the Commonwealth to be
intrusive or prescriptive.
Nevertheless, at a time when some of the major elements of
South Africa society have begun to talk to each other across
the apartheid barrier in the face of hostility from the
South African Government, I and other leaders felt that the
Commonwealth could facilitate the process of dialogue.
This was the basis of Australia's initiative to form the
group of eminent persons, independent individuals not
currently active in politics, which was endorsed by the Meeting.
I am very pleased that Mr Fraser will be a member of the
group. He is an Australian whose credentials on South
Africa are highly regarded by African leaders and I am
confident that he will make a valuable contribution.
His nomination will be communicated to the Governments of
Zambia, the Bahamas, India, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe,
as well as to the Commonwealth Secretary General, who along
with Australia, are responsible for determining the group's
composition and mandate.