Reagan, British Official Discuss S. Africa Policy

President Reagan summoned British Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe to the White House today amid indications that both governments may be preparing new, but limited, sanctions against South Africa for its policy of racial separation.

White House spokesman Edward Djerejian confirmed that Reagan is preparing a speech on South Africa to be delivered Tuesday with the possibility of additional economic sanctions short of “disinvestment.”

Howe, who met earlier with Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Vice President George Bush, was unexpectedly called to the White House late in the morning for talks on South Africa and to report on his recent meeting with Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze.

With Republican members of Congress pressuring Reagan to take stronger action against the white minority government in South Africa, and members of the 49-member British Commonwealth pressuring Britain to change its policy, the Reagan-Howe meeting fueled speculation that both governments were ready to make new moves.

Howe to Meet Botha

Howe is meeting with South African President Pieter W. Botha next week.

“I shall go to South Africa understanding the widespread concern felt around the world for that change (in apartheid) to come about,” Howe told reporters after his meeting with Reagan.

Howe told Parliament earlier this week that international agreement on sanctions against South Africa would have to be considered if his talks in Pretoria brought no “tangible and substantial progress” toward dismantling apartheid.