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ON THE WORLD SCENE
THAW IN MIDEAST; VOLCANO SMOLDERING IN SOUTHERN AFRICA For the moment,
the news headlines continue to be dominated by events in the Middle
East. With the rejection of the Camp David accords by the other Arab
states to one degree or another, it looks more and more now that Egypt
will proceed to sign a separate peace treaty with Israel. President
Sadat is more or less committed to this course of action; he is an
Egyptian nationalist first, a pan-Arabist second. Sadat has an "out"
to the myth of Arab solidarity; he has told the other Arabs that they
can join the peace process on their own timetable, according to the
"Framework for Peace in the Middle East" he worked out with Israeli
Prime Minister Begin.
Sadat's next move toward normalizing relations with Israel, of course,
has been expedited by the approval granted by the Knesset, Israel's
parliament, to the painful provision in Camp David accords calling for
the removal of Israeli settlers from the Sinai. Thus, Sadat will have
what he wants most of all, the eventual full restoration of Egyptian
sovereignty over the Sinai.
While events appear to be moving toward some sort of a partial settle
ment in the Middle East, a catastrophe is brewing in southern Africa.
So far it has received but scant attention in the world press, but
you'll hear more about it as the issue moves through the United Nations.
On September 21, South Africa announced it was forced to reject the
U.N. formula for independence for South West Africa (Nambia), a terri
tory Pretoria has ruled since 1920. It instead announced that it was
proceeding with its own independence formula, including preparations
for free elections.
Earlier this year South Africa agreed to a U.N. plan put forward by
five Western nations acting on the U.N.'s behalf -- the U.S., Canada,
France, Britain, and West Germany. On April 25, Pretoria, despite
reservations, accepted the U.N. formula on good faith. In turn, the
"Big Five" assured South Africa they would see to it that no changes
were made in the plan.
Subsequent events reveal how weak the Western "powers" are in holding
to a steady course in the wake of determined opposition. First of all,
the Marxist-supported SWAPO group, which is determined to lord it over
all of South West Africa's racially divergent peoples, demanded changes
in the formula. SWAPO's leaders stalled for time, then announced they
basically accepted the plan.
SWAPO also stepped up its acts of terror and violence, striking out
from bases in Angola and Zambia. The U.N. ,said nothing regarding SWAPO's
activities, but professed shock and dismay when South African forces
launchP.d a heavy attack against SWAPO camps in Zambia. The South
African countermeasure served SWAPO's cause well, earning it sympathy
from the Third World dominated U.N.
Then finally, last week, a vastly revised U.N. proposal was nut forward
calling for 7,500 U.N. soldiers plus another 1,200 "observers" to