U.S. Expects S. African Moves to End Sanctions

The Bush Administration anticipates that South Africa will comply with the standards set by Congress for lifting U.S. economic sanctions by the end of this year, according to a senior U.S. official.

The official, who talked to a small group of reporters Wednesday on the understanding that he would not be identified by name, said it now seems clear that sanctions imposed by the United States and other nations played a role in the decision by South African President Frederik W. de Klerk last week to lift many restrictions on several long-banned black and anti-apartheid organizations.

The sanctions were enacted by Congress over the veto of President Ronald Reagan in 1986. At the time, Administration officials said they thought the sanctions would be counterproductive, diminishing U.S. influence in Pretoria without producing any change in the policy of the white minority-led government.

But the Bush Administration official said De Klerk decided to seek greater cooperation with the black majority because he became convinced that the South African economy could prosper only with cooperation between the races.

“This realization has been pushed along by international pressure, including American pressure,” the official said.

Under the terms of the sanctions law, the President may lift the sanctions if South Africa releases all political prisoners and takes any three of these steps:

- Repeals the state of emergency.

- Ends the ban on political groups, such as the African National Congress.

- Repeals the Group Areas Act, which imposes residential segregation.

- Agrees to enter good faith negotiations with “truly representative members of the black community.”

The official said that De Klerk has complied with two of the standards--repeal of the ban on political groups and agreement to negotiate. He said he expects South Africa to move soon, certainly by the end of the year, to free all political prisoners and end the state of emergency. He said the government has said it will go slower in repealing the Group Areas Act.

Until the sanctions can be legally lifted, the official said, Washington hopes to show its support for De Klerk’s reforms by increasing high-level diplomatic contacts. He said De Klerk has already been invited to visit the United States, although no dates have been set. And he said that a top Administration official, possibly Secretary of State James A. Baker III, might soon travel to South Africa.

The official said that Washington plans to apply steady pressure on both the South African government and the black leadership to proceed with negotiations over the future of the country. Both sides have agreed to meet, but they are still haggling over ground rules.

“We will put pressure on both sides to negotiate,” he said.