Rhodesia: Mission to London

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As traitors to the British Crown, the three Rhodesians who arrived in London last week technically faced the penalty of death by hanging. Instead, they were met at London Airport by plainclothesmen and whisked away to an obscure hotel. The three men were representatives of Ian Smith's rebellious white-minority government, and they came on a special safe-conduct dispensation to commence what the British press called "talks about talks," which Prime Minister Harold Wilson hoped might lead to Rhodesia's ending its six-month rebellion and rejoining the Commonwealth.

The instigation for the meetings had come from Wilson. Firmly in command after last March's landslide election, he felt that he could deal from a new position of strength with the Rhodesian rebels, who had been stalling in hopes of a Tory victory. For his part, Ian Smith seemed content enough to explore the possibility of escaping from an increasingly uncomfortable domestic situation, which last week saw the price of petrol increase another 17¢, to 84¢ per gal. The discussions, expected to last for at least two weeks, were mainly on practical procedural matters, such as an agenda for possible full-fledged negotiations and whether Rhodesia would be required to renounce its independence before any official conference could begin. Neither side was saying if any progress was being made. But the fact that the two delegations were talking was itself an encouraging sign in the tangled Rhodesian crisis.