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GV Parliament building (2 shots)
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GV Building
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SV Smith interview-Sound on film
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GV Building
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TRANSCRIPT: (SEQ. 3):



INTERVIEWER: "Today, independent Rhodesia is exactly two weeks old. Do you think the world at large has accepted the 'fait accompli?"



MR. SMITH: "Well, this is quite a difficult question. I think that probably most of the other countries in the world would say to you that they would like to see this run for a little longer before accepting it, but I do believe that certain people who foolishly thought that this would fail are now having second thoughts, and must have come to the conclusion that far from failing, this has been a greater success than even we ourselves thought."



INTERVIEWER: "May I enlarge slightly here. The Organisation of African Unity has suggested invading Rhodesia - in other words, they do not appear to have accepted the fact that Rhodesia is now an independent country. Do you think there is any likelihood of this happening?"



MR. SMITH: "No. I must be honest and say that I don't treat this really seriously, and moreover, I don't think there are many people in the world who treat this very seriously".



INTERVIEWER: "The past two weeks must have been extremely worrying from your point of view. Which has been the most crucial period for Rhodesia?"



MR. SMITH: "Well, I suppose the most crucial period was the immediate period after our assumption of independence, because of the uncertainty. We were stepping into the unknown to a certain extent...as to what outside world reaction was, and what they were going to do. So it was the period immediately afterwards."



INTERVIEWER: "Do you consider Mr. Wilson's sanctions against Rhodesia as appeasement measures to the United Nations and the Afro-Asian block?"



MR. SMITH: "Well, I can tell you that a lot of the evidence put before me and the advice given to me is in the direction you have indicated - that Mr. Wilson has to do this in order to satisfy the United Nations and the Afro-Asian block Indeed I think I am on record as having said previously, and this does not only apply to Mr. Wilson - his predecessors as well - that they conceded the justification for our independence: the case we had put forward. But they did say that what we had to consider was the rest of the world, world opinion, and I don't think it is unfair or inaccurate of me to say that this is something that weighs very heavily with the British Government".



INTERVIEWER: "What is the purpose of recalling Parliament at this time?"



MR. SMITH: "Really this is in keeping with the laws of our country, which make it obligatory for us to recall Parliament after a State of Emergency has been declared, and this is why we are recalling Parliament."



INTERVIEWER: "Is that the only significance in the recall of Parliament?"



MR. SMITH: "Yes."



INTERVIEWER: "There will be no new legislation put before the house?"



MR. SMITH: "No, we have no intention of introducing new legislation and we did not all along, and had it not been for the Emergency then Parliament would not have been recalled I don't think."




Initials DE/V/RM/EEH JM/V/JM/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Mr. Ian Smith, who heads the illegal government in Rhodesia, was interviewed in Salisbury, the capital yesterday (Wednesday). The interview came twenty-four hours before Parliament met in a stormy session during which the only white Opposition member challenged the validity of the proceedings.

Mr. Smith appeared confident that the decision to seize independence was the right one - and he was optimistic of the country's future.