May I express to you, President Machel and Mrs. Machel, and to your distinguished delegation a warm welcome.
We have looked forward to your visit with keen expectation. We were disappointed that it had twice to be postponed. But a pleasure delayed is a pleasure doubled. And we are delighted to have you here now.
President Machel, we welcome you in the first place as the leader of Mozambique, a country with which Britain enjoys friendly and fruitful relations. Our talks today have shown how few problems there are between us. [end p1]
We welcome you also as an eminent African statesman.
We in Britain do not forget the part which you played in bringing the negotiations over Zimbabwe to a successful conclusion and independence for that country. You insisted that a peaceful solution could be found to what then seemed an intractable problem. You were proved right.
You are now showing the same tenacity of purpose in the search for a Namibia settlement. And you have launched a process of direct bilateral negotiation with South Africa. [end p2]
We here applaud your efforts to resolve problems peacefully. We deeply deplore the use of violence. We have made very clear that, in our view, the people of each country must be left to determine their own future, free from foreign destabilisation whether from within the region or outside it. We shall continue as a member of the contact group to work for a Namibia settlement. We shall use what influence we have to promote peace, security and stability for all the countries in Southern Africa. [end p3]
Your excellency, these have not been easy years for Mozambique. Formidable problems have faced you—problems which reflect the tensions of the Southern African region—and on top of them the natural disasters of four years of drought and flood.
We have been happy to co-operate with you in overcoming these difficulties and in developing the great potential of your country. British experts, British firms, British financial institutions, as well as official forms of assistance, have played their part. [end p4] We have confidence in the future of Mozambique under your excellency's vigorous and wise leadership. We wish to continue to work closely with you.