Archive

1986 Mar 3 - 1986 May 30
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/1966
South Africa (Internal situation; relations with UK) (Part 9)

Document type: File list item
Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2016 Feb 19
Classification: Secret
Page count: 468
Any docs withheld? 7

PREM19/1966 - download whole file (PDF, 434.03 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 20 of 72

Per page:
Date Value Titlesort descending
86 May 6 Tu Major South Africa: Co-Chairmen of the Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons letter to MT (bilateral exchanges) ["planning to return to Cape Town next week... We are concerned about [news of] bilateral exchanges with the South African Government at this time"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 1 Th Major South Africa: Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons message to Pik Botha ("South Africa") [calling for "genuine negotiation along the lines envisaged in our negotiating concept"; forwarded to MT by Ramphal by telegram of 6 May] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 16 Fr Major South Africa: Commonwealth Secretary-General Ramphal letter to MT (Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons: meeting of seven Commonwealth Heads of Government for six-month progress review of the Group's work) [date, venue & other details] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 8 Th Major South Africa: FCO letter to No.10 ("South Africa") [civil service paper on "likely effects of political and economic developments in South Africa on the... [UK's] economic stake there"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Mar 24 Mo Major South Africa: FCO minute (internal) to Howe PS ("South Africa Revisited (13-20 March 1986)") [situation report; Charles Powell note: "Rather gloomy so far as the prospects for the Eminent Persons Group are concerned"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 2 Fr Major South Africa: FCO telegram to UKE Seoul ("ComGEP Review Meeting") [Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons: Governments' efforts to agree an early date] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 29 Th Major South Africa: Foreign Minister Botha letter to co-Chairmen of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group ('possible negotiating concept' proposal) [detail of "four major questions... about the... concept"; "cannot accept that violence should be discontinued only for as long as negotiations take place"; "not interested in negotiation about a transfer of power"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Mar 10 Mo Major South Africa: Howe letter to Pik Botha (Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons) ["both the tenor and substance of your government's response to the Group this week is likely to have a significant influence on the future course of the Group's mission"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Apr 15 Tu Major South Africa: Howe minute to MT ("South Africa: CHOGM Accord - Krugerrands") [Howe in favour of legislative ban on imports; Channon's view "a legislative ban would be a clear breach of GATT" ] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 13 Tu Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("ComGEP visit to South Africa") [Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons: Ramphal account of Group's meeting with Pik Botha] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Mar 25 Tu Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("Commonwealth Fellowship Scheme for Black South Africans") [details of implementation; "We expect that the... scheme will make a valuable contribution to... convincing South African blacks of our good will"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Mar 11 Tu Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons") [details of Group's 'negotiating concept' proposal; "would be helpful if the Prime Minister were to send another message to President Botha"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 16 Fr Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("Ramphal's views on international economic issues") [Howe "shares... [MT's] irritation... [but] we want to keep Ramphal on board at this critical stage"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Apr 21 Mo Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("Reform in South Africa") [Howe flags up speech by Principal of University of Cape Town; No.10 notes speech to "depict an ideal and academic outcome rather than a practical one"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Mar 27 Th Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("Representations by the Twelve on the current unrest in South Africa") [Howe "has judged it right to agree... We have however proposed certain modifications on the line which the Dutch propose to take"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 27 Tu Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("Review of the Commonwealth Accord on South Africa") [draft letter of acceptance; "prospects for their mission are not bright... But the total collapse of the Commonwealth Group... would result in intense pressure on us"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 1 Th Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("South Africa") [Howe "greatly doubts... consensus at the [Tokyo Economic] Summit in favour of a statement on the lines proposed by [President Botha]"; advises MT to wait until after Summit to reply to Botha; draft instructions to Moberly] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 28 We Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("South Africa: message from President Botha") ["thoroughly discouraging... no alternative but to continue to support the... [Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group] initiative"; Howe advises against MT reply to Botha; discussions with US; sanctions; Pik Botha proposal to meet with "four leading countries of the [EC]" ] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 22 Th Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("South African raids") [draft reply for MT to President Botha; "[Howe] finds... [Botha's] justification for the raids is flimsy... [and] shows no glimmer of appreciation for the risks taken by... [MT] on his behalf"; risk to survival of Commonwealth if sanctions are not enforced in event of Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group's failure to negotiate successfully] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 May 20 Tu Major South Africa: Howe PS letter to No.10 (South African raids on Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia) [advice from Howe] [declassified Feb 2016]