MARGARET THATCHER, Britain's Prime Minister, has relaxed the pressure on Britain's scientists and academics to uphold a voluntary boycott on scientific and cultural links with South Africa. The boycott has been observed since 1985. Some scientists in South Africa have welcomed the decision, but the African National Congress says that sanctions should be intensified, not relaxed, to push Pretoria closer to negotiations about dismantling apartheid.
Thatcher's decision was inspired by new reforms announced last week by F. W. de Klerk, the President of the South African regime. The reforms legalise 60 banned organisations, including the African National Congress. Nelson Mandela, the jailed leader of the ANC, was expected to be released in the near future.
In the wake of de Klerk's announcement, Downing Street issued a statement which said: 'The changes now taking place in South Africa vindicate a policy of contact rather than isolation. We do not see that ...
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