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Policy Groups: Foreign Affairs, 1975-1979

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CRD 4/37/1-6

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Comprises:

1. CRD 4/37/1 - Working papers and reports, Aug-Oct 1975. Correspondents include:

  1. Blaker, Peter, MP for Blackpool South
  2. Maudling, Reginald, MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary

Includes:-

Papers circulated to Group members:-

  1. Copy of letter (and translation) sent by Admiral Rosa Coutinho, Portuguese High Commissioner of Angola to Agostinho Neto, leader of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola [M.P.L.A] dated 22/12/1974, and circulated to members of the Southern Africa Policy Group
  2. Statement by Clemens Kapuuo, President of the National Unity Democratic Organisation [N.U.D.O] of Namibia, and Leader of the National Convention of Namibia, 23/10/1975

Also includes:-

Manuscript notes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group [Author: Rob Shepherd?]

Reports of the Southern Africa Policy Group, Aug 1975:-

  1. Paper No. 1: Rhodesia [11pp]
  2. Paper No. 2: South Africa [15pp]
  3. Paper No. 3: South West Africa - Namibia [8pp]
  4. Paper No. 4: The Simonstown Issue [7pp]
  5. Paper No. 5: Consultation with the EEC [2pp]
  6. Minority Report by Patrick Wall [5pp]

2. CRD 4/37/2 - Minutes, papers circulated to Group members, and working papers, including amendments to the Groups reports, Nov 1975-May 1976. Correspondents include:

  1. Blaker, Peter, MP for Blackpool South
  2. Luce, Richard, MP for Shoreham
  3. Lyon, Alex, MP, Minister of State at the Home Office
  4. Shepherd, Rob, Conservative Research Department
  5. Patrick Wall, MP for Haltemprice

Includes:-

  1. Report on a meeting between Peter Blaker and Dr Elliott Gabellah, leader of the Muzorewa Faction of the African National Congress [A.N.C] in Rhodesia, London, 04/12/1975
  2. Manuscript notes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group [Author: Rob Shepherd?]
  3. Minutes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group:- 04/02/1976, 17/02/1976, 08/03/1976, 03/05/1976

Also includes:-

Press-cuttings and publications circulated to Group members:-

  1. The Times dated 11/08/1975: article entitled 'France cuts back on South African arms'
  2. The Financial Times dated 11/08/1975: article entitled 'Important exceptions to arms ban on South Africa'
  3. The Observer dated 07/12/1975: article entitled 'Secret Whitehall paper tells blacks of white Rhodesian worries'
  4. Report, 'The Namibian Milestone', published in The Economist, 17/12/1975
  5. The Guardian dated 26/01/1976: article entitled 'Three-way stretch' concerning the conflict in Angola

Revised report of the Southern Africa Policy Group: Paper No. 1: Rhodesia, Nov 1975 [15pp]

3. CRD 4/37/3 - Minutes, papers circulated to Group members, and working papers, including amendments to the Groups reports, May-Jun 1976. Correspondents include:

  1. Blaker, Peter, MP for Blackpool South
  2. Shepherd, Rob, Conservative Research Department
  3. Patrick Wall, MP for Haltemprice
  4. Malcolm Rifkind, MP for Edinburgh Pentlands

Includes:-

  1. Manuscript notes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group [Author: Rob Shepherd?]
  2. Draft letter concerning Conservative Party policy towards recognition of Transkei - established by South Africa as an independent state and homeland for Xhosa-speaking people in 1976, 15/06/1976
  3. Minutes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group:- 03/05/1976

Also includes:-

Revised reports of the Southern Africa Policy Group:-

  1. Paper No. 1: Rhodesia, 04/12/1975 [16pp]
  2. Paper No. 1: Rhodesia, Jun 1976 [11pp], with Appendix: Rhodesian Refugees, 31/03/1976 [6pp]
  3. Paper No. 2: South Africa, ND [15pp]

4. CRD 4/37/4 - Minutes, papers circulated to Group members, and working papers, including amendments to the Groups reports, Mar 1976-Dec 1977. Correspondents include:

  1. Blaker, Peter, MP for Blackpool South
  2. Crossland, Anthony, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
  3. Douglas, James, Conservative Research Department
  4. Forman, Nigel, Conservative Research Department
  5. Hampson, Dr Keith, MP for Ripon
  6. Shepherd, Rob, Conservative Research Department

Includes:-

Manuscript notes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group [Author: Rob Shepherd?]

Revised reports of the Southern Africa Policy Group:-

  1. Conservative Research Department paper, 'Rhodesian Refugees', 31/03/1976 [6pp; Authors: RJS/DLH/GD]
  2. Namibia - South West Africa, 02/07/1976 [10pp]

Also includes:-

Written Parliamentary Reply from Reg Prentice, Minister for Overseas Development, concerning British aid to Zambia, 29/03/1976

Minutes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group:-

  1. 10/11/1976
  2. Meeting concerning Rhodesia, 01/12/1977

Conservative Research Department brief, FAC(70)1: South African Arms, 21/07/1970 [Author: MH/SY]

5. CRD 4/37/5 - Minutes, reports, and papers circulated to Group members, Jul 1976-Mar 1978, Correspondents include:

  1. Blaker, Peter, MP for Blackpool South
  2. Elton, Rodney, 2nd Baron Elton, Conservative Member of the House of Lords
  3. Turner, Robin, Conservative Research Department

Includes:-

Press-cuttings, publications and other papers circulated to Group members:-

  1. Memorandum concerning UN-supervised referenda, plebiscites and elections since the War, ND [c1977]
  2. Code of Conduct for Companies with Subsidiaries, Branches or Representation in South Africa, ND [source unknown, Foreign and Commonwealth Office?]
  3. Commonwealth Statement on Apartheid in Sport, 15/06/1977
  4. Africa Institute Bulletin No.8, 1977: article entitled 'New Constitution in Outline' [concerning South Africa's constitutional proposals]
  5. Conservative Central Office press release concerning Lord Carrington's speech to the South Africa Club Dinner, 25/10/1977
  6. Transcript of New Year's Message given by Dr Piet Koornhof, South Africa's Minister of Sport and Recreation, ND [Jan 1978]
  7. The Times dated 04/03/1978: article entitled 'Full text of Rhodesian internal settlement agreement'

Minutes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group:-

  1. 01/12/1977
  2. 02/02/1978
  3. Meeting concerning Sport in South Africa, 08/02/1978

Reports of the Southern Africa Policy Group:-

  1. Group Report, Jul 1976 [i.e., the Group's final report [54pp], as submitted in Jul 1976, combining 5 separate papers with a Summary of Recommendations, as follows:
  2. Paper No. 1: General Introduction [6pp]
  3. Paper No. 2: Rhodesia [10pp]
  4. Paper No. 3: South Africa [13pp]
  5. Paper No. 4: The Cape Route and Indian Ocean [9pp]
  6. Paper No. 5: South West Africa (Namibia) [10pp]

Conservative Research Department paper, 'South West Africa', 24/01/1978 [2pp; Authors: RPT/JEK]

6. CRD 4/37/6 - Minutes, reports, and papers circulated to Group members, Feb 1978-Sep 1979. Correspondents include:

  1. Blaker, Peter, MP for Blackpool South
  2. Howarth, Alan, Conservative Research Department
  3. Luce, Richard, MP for Shoreham
  4. Patten, Chris, Conservative Research Department
  5. Turner, Robin, Conservative Research Department

Includes:-

Papers circulated to Group members:-

  1. Memorandum from Lord Carrington to Margaret Thatcher concerning his visit to Lusaka, Zambia, dated 21/02/1978
  2. Press-cuttings, mainly concerning sport and South Africa, Feb-May 1978
  3. Report of Richard Luce's visit to the Horn of Africa, 11-19 March 1978
  4. Draft press release concerning the failure of negotiations in Lagos, Nigeria, over Rhodesia's future, ND [Apr 1978]
  5. Report of visit of Kenneth Clarke and Norman Lamont to South Africa, Mar 1979
  6. Report of meeting between Peter Blaker and Dr Danie Craven, Chairman of the South African Rugby Board, Mar 1979
  7. Account of discussions between George Milne OBE and Hastings Banda, President of Malawi, Sep 1979

Minutes of meetings of the Southern Africa Policy Group:-

  1. Meeting concerning trade with South Africa, 08/02/1978
  2. Meeting concerning Sport in South Africa, 08/03/1978
  3. Meeting concerning Sporting links with South Africa, 07/02/1979

South African Embassy publications:-

  1. Pamphlet, Sport in South Africa. A political background [52pp], ND [c.1977/1978]
  2. Pamphlet, Sport in South Africa. The Reality [10pp], ND [c.1977/1978]

Dates

  • Creation: 1975-1979

Extent

1 box (6 folders)

Language of Materials

  • English

Shelfmark

CRD 4/37/1-6

Biographical / Historical

The Southern Africa Policy Group [Group reference no. PG/78/75] was set up in 1975 and was chaired by Peter Blaker MP (subsequently Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 1974 and 1979-1981). Its membership consisted of:-

  1. Richard Luce, MP for Shoreham
  2. Malcolm Rifkind, MP for Edinburgh Pentlands
  3. Cyril Townshend, MP for Bexleyheath
  4. Christopher Tugendhat, MP for City of London and Westminster South
  5. Patrick Wall, MP for Haltemprice
  6. Rob Shepherd, Conservative Research Department [Secretary]

It was one of a number of policy groups set up as part of the policy review instituted by Margaret Thatcher and led by Sir Keith Joseph. Each policy group was instructed to report to its respective Shadow Minister by July 1976 prior to a comprehensive policy discussion by the Shadow Cabinet.

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

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