SOWETO, South Africa African National Congress President OliverR. Tambo, opening a historic nationwide ANC conference Friday, urgedhis black liberation movement to consider for the first timesoftening its stand on sanctions.
"It is no longer enough for us to repeat the tired slogans,"said Tambo, 73, delivering the first speech since his return Thursdayfrom 30 years in exile. "We should . . . carefully re-evaluate theadvisability of insisting on the retention of sanctions, given thenew developments in the country and abroad."
Tambo's recommendation signaled an important change in strategyfor the ANC, which until now has insisted that sanctions bemaintained until a new constitution has been adopted or, at theleast, "profound and irreversible" change has occurred.
Many ANC leaders have begun to worry that no matter what the ANCsays, the United States and other foreign countries may soon ease orremove sanctions against Pretoria.
World leaders, including President Bush, have said they want toreward President Frederik W. de Klerk for his reform initiatives andencourage him to continue to dismantle apartheid and beginnegotiations with black leaders.
As Tambo spoke Friday, a summit of European Community leaders inRome was considering a proposal to lift its ban on new investments inSouth Africa. The ban is a voluntary part of the EuropeanCommunity's 1986 sanctions package, which prohibits importing SouthAfrican gold coins, iron and steel. Britain and Italy already havelifted their bans on South African investments.
The likelihood of a modification of sanctions by the EuropeanCommunity in coming weeks, and the possibility that the Bushadministration will soon determine that de Klerk has met most of theconditions for easing U.S. sanctions, have forced the ANC toreconsider its position.
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