Britain OKs Sanctions for South Africa
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LONDON — Britain belatedly joined its European Community partners today in a package of military and political sanctions against South Africa.
Its two defense attaches in Pretoria were summoned home immediately and indefinitely as part of the package, adopted by the rest of the 10-nation community on Sept. 10.
The sanctions include a series of social measures, including programs of assistance to nonviolent anti-apartheid groups, particularly the South African churches.
Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe said Britain, which held back from accepting the measures at the time, now sees them as “a legitimate and necessary political signal to the South African government.”
“There can be no doubt of Britain’s abhorrence of apartheid,” Howe said in his statement.
“We believe that by joining with our partners in this way we shall maximize the influence of the ten and Spain and Portugal (prospective community members) in promoting peaceful change in South Africa and securing the urgent and fundamental changes for which we have repeatedly called,” he added.
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