236. Telegram From Secretary of State Vance to the Department of State and the White House1
Secto 4025. Department for Christopher only. White House to Dr. Brzezinski for the President. Subject: Meeting With PM Thatcher.
1. Secretary Vance met for an hour with PM at No. 10; also present were Foreign Secretary Carrington; Lord Privy Seal and House of Commons Foreign Affairs Spokesman Sir Ian Gilmour; Brian Cartledge, P.M.’s Private Secretary for International Affairs, and U.S. Ambassador Brewster.
[Omitted here is material unrelated to Rhodesia.]
15. Discussion then turned to Rhodesia. Mrs. Thatcher indicated she was not at all happy about going to Lusaka for Heads of Commonwealth Governments Meeting. Secretary reported on Ambassador Spain’s conversation with Nyerere. While bitterly opposed to recognition, Julius Nyerere admitted new reality in sense that “after all the chap does have a government.” At same time insists on changes in constitution. Peter Carrington then reported on morning deputation of Commonwealth High Commissioners. They rejected election as a fraud, constitution a sham. Carrington reported that he urged Commissioners to take up the constitutional defects with Muzorewa. Obviously Carrington hopes to bring this about by way of de facto recognition as well as feeling that Commonwealth appeal would be better received than UK pressure. Carrington then indicated that Richard Luce would tonight leave for Lusaka and Namibia. Someone would be sent as an FCO representative to spend virtually all his time in Salisbury as a source of information and point of contact. Emissary would be sent to try to convince Nigerians and Front Line Presidents that it was worth trying to negotiate with the Bishop. He hoped David Harlech would be persuaded to take this on. This mission would also be likely to include touching base with Nkomo and Mugabe. Secretary said Harlech would be excellent.
16. Mrs. Thatcher interposed the emphasis that some forward movement was essential otherwise positions would freeze. Absolutely essential to move toward a regime which we all could recognize.
17. The interesting thing about this conversation was desire for movement tempered by caution. No lecturing or hectoring. No blame directed toward predecessors or Anglo-American Proposal, David [Page 696] Owen or Andy Young. All-in-all fairly convincing that the PM does not wish to rush in where predecessors have feared to tred. At same time, she is not likely to be patient with infinite procrastination.
18. Session ended. All cordial and Mrs. Thatcher obviously had great respect for Secretary and seemed unusually relaxed and forthcoming. At same time, it is clear she somewhat scares her sophisticated Ministers. All-in-all not at all a basis for optimism on substance of Southern Africa, but quite reassuring on grounds that we are dealing with a rational and cooperative government at the top as well as down the line.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840171–0149. Secret; Cherokee; Immediate; Nodis.↩