Europeans Warn of Sanctions Unless Black Leaders Are Freed

Leaders of the 12 countries of the European Communities called on South Africa on Friday to release Nelson Mandela and other black opposition leaders or face the possibility of economic sanctions, but the Europeans decided against imposing any sanctions at this time.

The 12 Common Market leaders, ending a two-day summit, said British Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe will visit South Africa in an effort to establish a dialogue between the white leadership and black South African leaders.

Some European leaders had called for immediate economic sanctions, but such action was opposed by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who say that sanctions would hurt the black majority of South Africa.

Decision Delayed

In a prepared statement, however, the leaders said that within the next three months they will decide, in consultation with other industrialized nations, on “measures which might be needed, covering, in particular, a ban on new investments (and) the import of coal, iron, steel and gold coins from South Africa.”

Kohl, meeting later with reporters, said, “We feel that all participants in world economic summits, like the United States, Japan and Canada, must also assume their responsibilities with regard to South Africa.”

In a strongly worded response, South African Foreign Minister Roelof F. (Pik) Botha said his government would accept no outside prescriptions for solving its internal problems.

“The South African government will not let itself be threatened by threats of further boycott action as envisaged in the statement from the 12,” he said.

The Common Market leaders also agreed to give “financial and material assistance” to those left homeless by recent fighting in the black shantytown of Crossroads, near Cape Town, and to give legal aid to political prisoners, including those arrested in connection with the reimposition of the state of emergency June 12.

Call for Dialogue

Mandela, who is serving a life sentence after a 1964 conviction of plotting sabotage, is a former leader of the African National Congress, the main black guerrilla group fighting to end white domination in South Africa. The African National Congress is outlawed in South Africa.

In addition to calling for Mandela’s unconditional release, the Common Market leaders called on South Africa to lift its ban on the African National Congress, the Pan Africanist Congress and other opposition groups.

The summit statement said a national dialogue “cannot take place as long as recognized leaders of the black community are detained and their organizations are proscribed.”

Bomb Defused

Before the leaders convened Friday, police defused a homemade bomb a few blocks from the summit meeting place.

A note found with bomb was signed “Red Revolutionary Front,” a group that has distributed leftist pamphlets at demonstrations, a police spokeswoman said.

The Common Market conducted $15.4 billion in trade last year with South Africa. Britain and West Germany were the leading trade partners.