Continued S. Africa Sanctions Urged at Meeting in Zambia

Southern African and British Commonwealth nation leaders affirmed Wednesday that sanctions against South Africa must be maintained until the path toward a negotiated political settlement is irreversible.

“We are all agreed that sanctions must go on,” President Kenneth Kaunda told reporters after a meeting between anti-apartheid leader Nelson R. Mandela and seven African presidents, Commonwealth officials and other leaders.

The meetings in Lusaka, the African National Congress’ headquarters in exile, are Mandela’s first extensive talks abroad since his Feb. 11 release from 27 years in South African prisons. Kaunda, the 65-year-old leader of the six-member alliance of southern African’s so-called front-line states, said the summit had agreed to abide by a U.N. General Assembly resolution in December maintaining sanctions at least until a review in July.

If it appears that “we are now moving toward abolishing apartheid and that is now irreversible, then of course sanctions will be dropped,” said Kaunda, who has hosted the ANC in exile for more than a decade. “If not, then we will pray for more sanctions.”

Mandela is to meet today and Friday with the executive committee of the ANC.