Black Envoy in Line for South Africa Post : Officials Call Edward Perkins, Diplomat in Liberia, Likely Choice

SANTA BARBARA — President Reagan, seeking to name a black as U.S. ambassador to South Africa, is likely to nominate Edward J. Perkins, a career diplomat, to the sensitive position, White House officials said Saturday.

Although the choice of Perkins, now U.S. envoy to the black African nation of Liberia, has not been given final approval, one White House official, speaking on the condition that he not be identified, said: “He’s among the candidates under consideration.”

And a senior official who accompanied Reagan here said it was “likely” that Perkins’ name would be sent to the Senate for confirmation as the first black U.S. ambassador to South Africa, ending a three-month search.

South Africa’s white minority government has made it clear that it would not object to such a nomination. However, naming a black envoy could be read as a sign that the Reagan Administration has become impatient with Pretoria’s lack of progress in dismantling the system of apartheid, or official separation of the races.

Bridging Racial Gap

At the same time, the nomination is seen as a move intended to help bridge the gap between the races in the turmoil-wracked nation.

The Administration originally intended to nominate Robert J. Brown, a High Point, N.C., businessman. But questions were raised about business dealings by Brown, who had served in the Richard M. Nixon Administration.

Concern that the issue could have become the focus of Senate hearings on the nomination led to his withdrawal from consideration just before the President was set to announce the choice during a July 22 policy speech on South Africa.

Then, Terence A. Todman, a career Foreign Service officer now serving as U.S. ambassador to Denmark, was considered, but he reportedly made it clear that he was not interested in the job.

The emphasis on nominating a black for the post reflects the difficult situation in which the Administration finds itself: trying to signal its displeasure with conditions in South Africa, while at the same time fending off congressional pressure for economic sanctions against Pretoria that are much tougher than those the White House favors.

Tougher Moves Opposed

The President has been adamant in his opposition to what he sees as punitive measures aimed at South Africa. His chief of staff, Donald T. Regan, said Aug. 19 that Reagan would not widen his executive order that imposed limited sanctions, although he will almost certainly renew the order. The presidential action restricts loans, computer sales and export of nuclear technology to South Africa, and bans the U.S. sale of new South African gold krugerrands.

But, by an 84-14 vote--a margin wide enough to ensure an override of an anticipated presidential veto--the Senate has approved much stronger sanctions, including a ban on imports of South African uranium, coal, iron, steel, textiles and agricultural products, and a prohibition of new U.S. investments or loans in South Africa.

The executive order imposing the milder sanctions expires Sept. 9, the day after Reagan returns from his annual late-summer vacation at his ranch in the Santa Ynez Mountains northwest of Santa Barbara.

Deadline Uncertain

That date, combined with the pressure of the congressional action, led White House officials originally to hope that a new envoy’s name could be announced when the executive order is renewed, barring unforeseen developments in background checks on Perkins. However, officials traveling with Reagan said they were uncertain that any such self-imposed deadline would be met.

Perkins, 58, would replace Herman W. Nickel. The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria has announced that he will leave his post in October, after serving there for four years. The New York Times, which reported on Saturday that the Administration was considering nominating Perkins, said the envoy had returned to Washington and told officials that he would accept the job, and was now back in Liberia.