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Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Ivor Stanbrook (Conservative), on Tuesday, 20 February 1990, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 134 members in total.

South African Sanctions

That this House welcomes the recent developments in South Africa, in particular the release of Nelson Mandela, which are the direct result of internal pressures; endorses the decision of the Strasbourg meeting of the European Council that European Community restrictive measures against South Africa should only be reviewed when 'profound and irreversible changes' have been obtained; notes the statement by Mr Nelson Mandela that 'to lift sanctions now would be to run the risk of aborting the process towards the complete eradication of apartheid'; therefore welcomes the decision of the European Council of Ministers that there should be no relaxation at present, of existing European Community measures; and urges the Prime Minister to maintain the restrictive measures agreed by the United Kingdom and the Council of Ministers at its meetings in September 1985 and 1986 in order to ensure that the European Community makes the maximum possible contribution to ending apartheid.

Amendments

The Early day motion has received 2 amendments.

588A1
Leave out from 'pressures' to end and add 'while appreciating that there may be arguments for and against sanctions against South Africa, regards the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EEC on 19th February as hypocrisy and humbug in light of the widespread evasion of sanctions agreed under EEC legislation; and calls upon Mr. Jacques Delors to initiate an immediate inquiry into the reasons why the Federal Republic of Germany has now become South Africa's principal trading partner despite that nation's powerful advocacy that other member states should restrict trade with South Africa.
588A2
Leave out from 'pressures' to end and add 'not least among which has been the sustained and constructive influence of the Prime Minister; fully supports her judgement that the time has now come to recognise and encourage the substantial changes which have taken place in South Africa; sees no basis in logic for discriminating between giving moral and economic support to Mr Gorbachev and to President de Klerk, both of whom are endeavouring to extricate their countries from the embrace and consequences of damaging, destructive and unacceptable political systems; recognises the profound reality that human beings respond better to encouragement and understanding than they do to relentless and vindictive hostility; and has no doubt that Britain is uniquely qualified to offer imaginative and experienced leadership to the European Community on an issue in which she has been intimately involved for several centuries.'.

Secondary information

Type
Early day motion
Reference
588 
588A1 
588A2 
Session
1989-90
Subjects
Foreign policy Prisoners' release South Africa Sanctions Apartheid Mandela, Nelson
Link
View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk