19 September 1976
Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith and United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met in Pretoria to discuss majority rule for Rhodesia. South African Prime Minister B.J. Vorster joined the final stages of the talks. Towards the end of 1974, Vorster, backed by President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, had started to campaign actively for peace in Rhodesia, but to no avail. This was the third in a series of three talks, initiated by Kissinger, in an attempt to create a region of political and economic stability in Rhodesia that would be strong enough to withstand communist inroads. At this conference, Smith accepted the principle of majority rule in his country. Despite this major breakthrough there were no positive results, except an announcement by Smith on 24 September that his government had accepted Kissinger's proposal of a Black majority government within two years. This, however, did not end the war in Rhodesia. The Black movements in Rhodesia and the leaders of the front line states (Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana) would only consider a settlement on their terms and Smith refused to make any more concessions. Terrorist activity in Rhodesia continued, as well as punitive raids by the Rhodesian forces against bases in Mozambique, Zambia and Angola.
The warring forces finally reached an agreement, confirmed in March, 1978, which produced a transitional government. Vorster immediately expressed his willingness to co-operate with the new government on a good-neighbourly basis.
References
Liebenberg, B.J. & Spies, S.B. (eds)(1993). South Africa in the 20th Century, Pretoria: Van Schaik Academic, pp. 444-446|Muller, C.F.J. (ed)(1981). Five Hundred years: a history of South Africa; 3rd rev. ed., Pretoria: Academica, p. 569