This Day in History: 3 October 1989
In his address to the senate foreign relations committee, United States (US) Assistant Secretary of State, Herman Cohen, said that the US strongly opposed any new sanctions, as this would be counterproductive to the transformation and negotiations process, taking place in SA. However, the US government did support and called for President F. W. de Klerk to release all political prisoners and unban all political parties before the end of the year. Accompanying these demands was their call for the immediate ending of the Group Areas Act.
Failure to do so, Cohen promised that the US government, together with the international community, would impose new sanctions against South Africa.
