Archive

1989 Nov 1 - 1990 Feb 28
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/3171
South Africa (Internal situation: relations with UK; release of Nelson Mandela) (Part 21)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2017 Jul 20
Classification: Secret - Cab One
Page count: 493
Any docs withheld? 10

PREM19/3171 - download whole file (PDF, 459.05 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 21 - 40 of 77

Items per page
Date Value Title
90 Feb 2 Fr Major South Africa: UKE Cape Town telegram to FCO ("Mandela: message from the Prime Minister and Chancellor Kohl") [congratulations on his imminent release; note of caution sounded regarding possibility that invitations to visit UK & Germany might be declined] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 2 Fr Major South Africa: No.10 briefing for MT (President FW de Klerk press conference: release of Nelson Mandela) [lines to take] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 2 Fr Major South Africa: MT letter to President FW de Klerk (release of Nelson Mandela) ["I also very much welcome... lifting the state of emergency and the unbanning of the ANC... these are major steps forward"] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 2 Fr Major South Africa: Charles Powell minute to MT ("South Africa") [release of Mandela: advance notice of "the main contents of President de Klerk's speech and it is going to be very good"] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 2 Fr Major South Africa: President FW de Klerk message to MT (release of Mandela) ["thank you for your prompt reaction to the steps which I announced in my speech... There can surely no longer be any reasonable grounds on which South Africa should continue to be isolated by the international community"] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 2 Fr Major South Africa: President FW de Klerk Address to the South African Parliament (release of Mandela & the way forward for South Africa) ["negotiation the highest priority. The aim is a totally new and just constitutional dispensation in which every inhabitant will enjoy equal rights"] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 2 Fr Major South Africa: UKE Cape Town telegram to FCO ("South Africa: de Klerk's speech") [speech centering around release of Mandela: key points] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 2 Fr Major Written Statement on de Klerk’s speech (warmly welcomes decision to release Mandela, changes "vindicate a policy of contact rather than isolation")
90 Feb 3 Sa Major South Africa: Charles Powell minute to MT ("South Africa") ["we need to galvanise the Foreign Office into... rolling back measures against South Africa... de Klerk... will be bitterly disappointed if we cannot... when Mandela is released... access to funds from the World Bank and the IMF... is not within our gift and the Americans will be crucial here"] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 3 Sa Major South Africa: UKE Cape Town telegram to FCO ("De Klerk's Speech: reactions") ["Reforms greeted enthusiastically. Buthelezi and elements of the PAG prepared to negotiate with the SAG forthwith. UDF arguing that not all conditions have yet been met"] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 3 Sa Major South Africa: UKE Washington telegram 286 to FCO (0030Z) ("US/South Africa: reaction to de Klerk's Speech") ["Invitation to de Klerk likely to be only gesture possible in immediate future. The Administration will pursue the question of a suspension or modification of sanctions, but results will take time"] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 6 Tu Major South Africa: FCO telegram to UKE Bonn ("Secretary of State's meeting with Genscher: South Africa") [Hurd, Genscher record of conversation: lifting of ban on investments; Namibian independence celebrations] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 9 Fr Major South Africa: Hurd PS letter to No.10 ("South Africa") [series of tailored draft statements for MT to coincide with Mandela's release] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 9 Fr Major South Africa: Charles Powell minute to Ingham ("Mandela's release") [draft MT statement for press] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 9 Fr Major South Africa: UKE Cape Town telegram to FCO ("South Africa: Pik Botha's meeting with EC ambassadors") [report outlining Botha's relayance of his government's concerns about West not following up on its pledges; discussion of key UK concerns about current situation] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 10 Sa Major South Africa: MT message to Taoiseach Haughey ("South Africa: release of Mandela") [endorsement of de Klerk - "has taken considerable political risks" - and call for reciprocation of his efforts through ANC suspension of violence & entry into negotiation, and the lifting of sanctions] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 10 Sa Major South Africa: MT message to President Mitterrand, PMs Lubbers, Cavaco Silva & Andreotti ("South Africa: release of Mandela") [endorsement of de Klerk - "has taken considerable political risks" - and call for reciprocation of his efforts through ANC suspension of violence & entry into negotiatians, and the lifting of sanctions] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 10 Sa Major South Africa: MT message to Prime Minister Kaifu ("South Africa: release of Mandela") [endorsement of de Klerk - "has taken considerable political risks" - and call for reciprocation of his efforts through ANC suspension of violence & entry into negotiatians, and the lifting of sanctions] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 10 Sa Major South Africa: MT message to Prime Ministers Mulroney & Hawke ("South Africa: release of Mandela") [endorsement of de Klerk - "has taken considerable political risks" - and call for reciprocation of his efforts through ANC suspension of violence & entry into negotiatians, and the lifting of sanctions] [declassified Jul 2017]
90 Feb 10 Sa Major South Africa: MT message to Chancellor Kohl ("South Africa: release of Mandela") [endorsement of de Klerk - "has taken considerable political risks" - and call for reciprocation of his efforts through ANC suspension of violence & entry into negotiatians, and the lifting of sanctions] [declassified Jul 2017]