From: wsargeant@IGC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Nigeria, Babangida, De Klerk to hol'
Date: 12 Apr 92 21:36:30 GMT

/* Written  1:56 pm  Apr 12, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "NIGERIA: BABANGIDA, DE KLERK TO HOL" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Asia, eastern
Title: NIGERIA: BABANGIDA, DE KLERK TO HOLD OFFICIAL TALKS FRIDAY


abuja, apr 9 (ips/toye olori) -- bilateral talks between
nigerian president ibrahim babangida and visiting south african
president frederik de klerk are scheduled for early friday.

de klerk is due in this new nigerian federal capital late
thursday.

in a statement issued here, nigeria's ministry of external
affairs said de klerk -- the first south african president to
visit nigeria -- would brief gen babangida on developments in
south africa.

the visit ''is part of the on-going commitment of the federal
government to open up to all peace-loving and progressive forces
in south africa'', the statement said.

it also aims to ''encourage all those taking part in the
codesa (convention for a democratic south africa) negotiation
process to persevere in the search for peace which will end the
persistent violence among our brothers and sisters in south
africa''.

''the nigerian government expects that in future, leaders of
other parties and movements in south africa will visit nigeria
to exchange views on what nigeria could do to assist in the
peace process,'' the statement added.

active involvement of the organisation of african unity (oau)
could, the statement said, only be achieved when the anc and
other parties agree to elevate such participation.

the leader of the pan africanist congress (pac), clarence
makwetu, visited nigeria mar. 17 during which he held talks with
babangida, who is current chair of the oau.

in obvious reaction to criticisms by the pac and anc
representatives in lagos for not having been consulted about the
visit, the ministry said the two officials had not contacted
their headquarters in south africa before making their
statements.

''both liberation movements were informed of the decision by
the nigerian government to receive president de klerk, in order
to advance the progress toward the total eradication of
apartheid,'' the ministry said in a separate statement.

''the request to president babangida by one of the liberation
movements to use his good offices to get all anti-apartheid
forces in south africa to take part actively in the peaceful
transition process demands contact with all sides,'' it added.
(more/ips)


nigeria: babangida (2)

''by general agreement,'' the statement said, ''de klerk had
become a key player in the efforts toward the peaceful ending of
apartheid.

''if nigeria is to play the role required of south africa,
contact with president de klerk and his government has become
essential.''

the ministry emphasised that the headquarters of both the anc
and pac were kept fully informed of nigeria's moves. a gap in
communication between their representatives in nigeria and their
headquarters in south africa was probably responsible for such
comments. (end/ips/to/apc/ar/92)