South Africa to Surrender Suspect It Seized at Dutch Embassy

South Africa agreed Thursday to surrender to the Netherlands an accused Dutch arms smuggler and admitted that police committed a “technical violation” by dragging him from the Dutch Embassy.

But Foreign Minister Roelof (Pik) Botha castigated the Dutch government for its handling of the diplomatic crisis and said that “only a modicum of inclination” could have secured an amicable settlement.

As the Dutch and South African foreign ministries began a new wrangle over the meaning of Botha’s message, government sources in Pretoria said that Klaas de Jonge will not immediately be handed over.

De Jonge, 47, a Dutch anthropologist, was detained by security police June 23 on suspicion of smuggling weapons into South Africa for the exiled African National Congress guerrilla movement.

De Jonge led police to the Dutch Embassy on the second floor of a Pretoria bank building July 9 on the pretext of showing them an arms cache. He then broke free at the mission’s entrance and started to enter a waiting room before the armed and uniformed officers dragged him away.

Last week, Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van den Broek demanded an apology and De Jonge’s return to the embassy.

On Tuesday, the Netherlands warned South Africa that it would recall its ambassador if the detainee were not returned in 48 hours. But six hours after the midday deadline passed, the Dutch extended the deadline.

A Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesman said De Jonge will be brought back to the embassy “soon,” and that it is possible he will be allowed to leave South Africa unhindered.

Botha admitted Thursday “there was in fact a technical violation of the embassy premises and we regret this.”

But he told The Hague “we need no legal instruction from the Netherlands as to what our responsibilities are in this matter.” He added, “We have declared our willingness to return Mr. De Jonge to the embassy.”

Botha said that De Jonge, earlier linked by security officials to the discovery of numerous caches of rifles, grenades and bombs, will be charged under laws on the possession of arms and ammunition.

He said he assumed that the Netherlands will “observe the principles of international law applicable in this case” and return De Jonge to stand trial in a South African court.

But Dutch Foreign Ministry sources noted that Dutch law forbids the extradition of nationals for trial in another country under all circumstances.

At The Hague, Foreign Ministry spokesman Jan Jonker-Roelants said. “We are still clarifying with the South Africans what their note means.”

Dutch Foreign Ministry sources said Botha’s note is only a “conditional” offer to surrender De Jonge. They said Botha seemed to be demanding a guarantee that he be handed over for trial.

A South African Foreign Ministry official declined to comment on the Dutch view and said only that Botha “implied an assumption that Mr. De Jonge will be returned to stand trial.”