Roger T. Garland
Question:45 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the Government's stance on trade sanctions on South Africa.
Written Answers. - South African Trade Sanctions.
The Government's basic position on sanctions against South Africa remains that their purpose is to encourage the South African Government peacefully to dismantle the apartheid system and, to this end, to engage in negotiations with the majority community. The intention in imposing sanctions has never been to seek to destroy the South African economy or to hurt the economically vulnerable in South Africa. For these reasons the Government have never favoured the imposition of comprehensive sanctions but have said that sanctions should be selective, carefully targeted and graduated. The Government believe, further, that sanctions should only be maintained for as long as is strictly necessary.
We believe that the sanctions and other forms of pressure imposed on South Africa by the international community have had a role in bringing about the changes we have witnessed so far. The Government welcome these changes, which allow us to hope that substantive negotiations on a new united, democratic and non-racial South Africa may get under way before too long.
The European Council in Dublin in June affirmed its willingness to consider a gradual relaxation of the pressure the Twelve exert on the South African authorities when there was further clear evidence that the process of change in South Africa continued in the direction signalled by the Council in Strasbourg in December 1989. The Twelve are following developments in South Africa with particular attention and will make their assessment, in due course, of the progress made.