European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 a the stars and stripes columns Anthony Lewis afrikaner survival no longer solely White Domai p t o Yum Cai if u a Fri an m m j. I to _ _ _ a a. _. Cape town South Africa a one Model being considered by the government for a constitutional settlement in South Africa Calls for a two chamber parliament. One House would be elected on the basis of one person one vote without regard to race. The other would represent racial groups and perhaps geographical regions. That possibility was put Forward in an interview by or. I Crit Viljoen minister of constitutional development. He is a principal adviser to president . Do Klerk for the talks with the african National Congress starting april l i. The Anc favors a straight system of one person one vote and will oppose a second House with blocking Powers. But the idea has negotiating possibilities and in any Case it shows How far the government has come. Vii Joen remarked that the Pace of events Here these Days was to a columnist visiting South Africa for the first time in seven years that adjective seems exactly right. Viljoen made comments that until lately one could not have imagined an official making at least openly. A the exclusion of citizens from political Power a he said a cannot be justified on any moral and this w As a the biggest group of citizens a the Blacks who Are 75 percent of the population and have no vote. Since de Klerk unbanned the Anc and other anti apartheid groups last month and released Nelson Mandela he has said that in a future South Africa All adults must have the vote. But he wants a checks and balances to protect minorities including the hitherto dominant Whites. Therein lies the significance of the two House idea described by Viljoen. Something like that idea was proposed in 1986 by an Indaba or conference of Natal province and the adjoining Zulu a a Homeland of Kwa Zulu. The government rejected it. In the Indaba proposal the second House would have had Power Only to protect the a cultural rights of minority groups a their language for example or religion. But Viljoen said the Model now being considered would let the second House Block legislation affecting minority groups on a important political what were those a the fact of regular elections a Viljoen replied. And a the nature of the economic system a a reference to White fears that a majority government would adopt socialist policies. Finally Viljoen said that the second House could guarantee that there would be no tampering with a Bill of rights a which in our View would certainly have to be part of the that would be in addition he said to the Power of courts to act a against both legislative and executive measures that violate guaranteed individual rights. How would the second House be chosen perhaps each geographic Region could be equally represented Viljoen said As each state in the United states has two senators. And racial groups would elect their representatives a but with a Sharp change in the Way those groups Are defined. Under present Law every South african is classified by race. Viljoen said that system would have to be replaced by one in which each person chose his or her a racial group a or chose to be in none. A Freedom of association would be a dominant before negotiations on a new Constitution preliminary talks must Clear away certain obstacles. One is the state of emergency which the Anc says must be lifted before there can be formal negotiations. The government in turn says the emergency cannot end until violence subsides. Quot Viljoen said he was a really concerned about Quot increased Levels of violence in the last two weeks or Here he was critical of what he called Mandela s of course the Anc has also had critical things to say about the government. Both sides Are mane vering As the time for talking approaches. But the seriousness of the two sides seems to me the most important fact. It is not really in doubt. And i would add another fact the Mutual interest in negotiation and settlement. In this process Gerrit Viljoen is in a sense a Symbol of Hope. He is 63, a former professor of classics. And he headed the Broede Bond the powerful society of afrikaners. He decided some time ago that afrikaner survival no longer Lay in exclusive White political Power. That View is now the governments. C new York time Flora Lewis Europe must decide quickly How to proceed f Rin n i incl inn a. A i. A the big questions on the future of Europe have moved off the streets and Back into diplomatic Chambers now where nothing goes quickly and there Are no dramatic pictures. And the old unresolved Security problems shelved for so Long arc again the focus of problems. On certain Points consensus is evolving. There will be a United Germany within the two existing German states Borders. It will be in nato. Even Moscow seems to be resigning itself to that. . Troops will remain in Europe. All the allies feel that is of great importance although they Are adjusting to the idea that numbers will be sharply reduced. The sense is spreading that world War Iii is Over without being fought thanks to soviet changes and Western resolve. It gives Rise to notions about a cooperative instead of confrontational Security system. Oskar Lafontaine the German social democrats candidate for Chancellor talks of an Alliance Between the Eastern and Western groupings denying that he Ever favored neutrality. That Sall very Nice. If everything goes As hoped the threat will fade and new treaties will mesh everyone a vital National interests. But How does Europe get from Here to there that is the Complex of issues that governments must now confront. Word from Vienna is that the conference on cutting conventional forces in Europe is blocked after moving smartly toward a first stage treaty this year. The soviet delegation is said to have received no instructions since talks resumed on March 15. Moscow wants the German Issue settled first in the �?o2 plus 4�?� negotiations of the germans soviets British French and americans. The planned Vienna treaty was drafted on the Assumption that there would be two German armies incorporated in two rival alliances. But if there a Only one and its in nato what limits apply Taskeen Fly ated for �?o3 times 200,000. That would limit soviet forces in what is now East Germany to 200,000 All Allied forces stationed in West Germany to 200,000 and 200,000 West German forces with none on present East German territory. The . Does no to like it and does no to want negotiations to go beyond limiting american and soviet troops at this stage. Talk has revived of a a european pillar within nato to encompass the germans. President Francois Mitterrand of France said sunday he would suggest a plan to make a the european Axis More precise and in which the germans will naturally be this has never been possible because of two historic French decisions. One was their rejection of the idea of a european defense Community to absorb West Germany when it entered nato in 1955. The other was de Gaulle a decision to take France out of the alliances integrated command. If the Edc existed now the problems would be very different and much easier. But if it is to be created either German forces would have to be taken out of nato which nobody wants or French forces would have to be put in. French politicians Are still reflexively opposed to re entering natos command although attitudes have changed profoundly about cooperating with the Alliance. It is time for Paris to face the Challenge an important French contribution to As Suring a solid european context for a uni de Germany and a smooth transition to a Overall Security Way could t eased by making natos future sup Reir commander a Frenchman. This would make sense in a Yeai when american forces in Europe Are i Down to a relatively Small percentage it the Allied total. It could also help in the shift it natos focus to political concerns which can to be done by simply proclaiming Mil tary Security an obsolete preoccupation. The Alliance remains a Keystone of of perception of Security and it is Clear tin american participation is required to Kec it in place. But if Europe does move toward Polit Cal Union which Mitterrand said n wanted by 1993, when the single Marki takes effect that would ease moving to nato balance from . To european a it a possibility. Everything is linked a West Europea monetary and political Union the no Germany a larger Helsinki Model Smtth Tion for accommodating East and Wes arms reduction treaties. They have to be synchronized or of dangers will re emerge. C new York times
