Thomson off aircraft and greeted; Macdonald; Thomson, MacDonald and Nyerere.




Initials JSU/V/JF/FB



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Background: Tanzania's condition for considering resumption of relations with Britain is a tangible British move towards toppling the Smith government in Rhodesia, it was reported from Arusha after a meeting on Saturday (28th October) between Tanzania's President Julius Nyerere and British Commonwealth Secretary George Thomson.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, Britain's special representative in a number of Commonwealth countries in East and Central Africa.

Observers in Arusha emphasised that Dr. Nyerere committed himself neither way on relations in the meeting with Mr. Thomson, who had flown in from Kampala and a meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

In a foreign policy address two weeks ago the President said that Tanzania firmly adhered to the principle behind the two-year-old diplomatic breach with London but would consider over the coming months whether some other tactic might better serve its purpose.