1.
SV & GV Ian Smith holding news conference (3 shots)
0.19

2.
CU Smith speaks
0.54

3.
SV PAN Newsmen TO Smith (MUTE) (2 shots)
1.12

4.
CU Smith speaking
1.49

5.
SV Cameraman and Smith facing reporters (MUTE) (2 shots)
1.58

6.
CU Smith speaking
2.11


SMITH: "I believe the British have now put themselves in a position, the British government, where it is impossible for them to keep out of this issue. Accordingly we believe that the best position would be for them to keep out of this issue. Accordingly we believe that the best position would be for them to come in now officially through the front door and accept the responsibility which they claim that they have. We see that this is the only way of trying to remedy the damage which has been done.



SMITH: "To find out who is the true leader of African opinion in Rhodesia, black opinion, who are the true leaders, and because there are a number of factions. They are all trying to outdo the one next to them, and because of this it is very difficult to get any semblance of reason and moderation. And as I said earlier this is even further complicated because of what the British government have been doing, participating on a one-sided basis. I think it is a valid point.



"I repeat, I believe in black and white working together. But if one day it is white and the next day black, I believe we would have failed and I think it would be a disaster for Rhodesia."




Initials BB/0130 MW/PN/BB/0140


This film is serviced with an interview with Mr. Smith. A transcript follows:

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Rhodesian Prime Minister, Mr. Ian Smith, said on Saturday (20 March) that Britain had put itself in a position where it had to accept responsibility for Rhodesia.

Speaking at a news conference after the breakdown of negotiations with the African Nationalists under Joshua Nkomo, he said Britain must join in the effort to reach a settlement between the country's white minority and the black majority.

But in London, British Foreign Secretary, James Callaghan said Mr. Smith had first to accept the principle of black majority rule.

Mr. Callaghan said the terms of the transition of power from white to black could be worked out later.

Mr. Smith told the news conference that he believed he would have failed if Rhodesia had "white rule one day, and black the next".

On that basis, he said he did not see majority rule in Rhodesia for 1,000 years.

Mr. Smith indicated that he and his government regarded the appeal to Britain as the only way to keep the prospects of peaceful negotiation alive.

It is likely Mr. Nkomo would also support British intervention.

But the African Nationalist Council (ANC) is split into two factions; Mr. Nkomo's internal wing, and the external faction under Bishop Abel Muzorewa, based in Mozambique.

And the external faction jubilantly greeted the collapse of the talks, which it had always opposed, because it is against the settling of the question of black majority rule by negotiation.