Vance 'will listen to all' in SA

CYRUS VANCE, the United Nations Special Representative to South Africa, flew into Johannesburg last night - at what he called 'a critical moment' in the country's history - for a 10-day visit aimed at recommending methods to end political violence and renew constitutional negotiations.

The former US Secretary of State, appointed to his mission following a UN Security Council resolution last Thursday, said he would be meeting President F W de Klerk and other government officials in Pretoria today. Tomorrow he will meet the African National Congress and possibly, he said, the Inkatha Freedom Party.

Mr Vance said that, after discussions with all concerned parties, he would recommend to the UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, 'measures which would assist in bringing an effective end to the violence and creating conditions for negotiations towards the fulfilment of the great objective' of a democratic, non- racial, united South Africa.

His mission, he said, was to listen to all parties before formulating his views on the most constructive means to achieve peace. He said he hoped there would be no need to escalate international involvement in South Africa.

Mr Vance's visit has been preceded by squabbles between the government and the ANC as to the precise nature of his trip. Pik Botha, the Foreign Minister, has sought to portray the visit as an endorsement of the government's call for an instant return to negotiations. His opposite number in the ANC, Thabo Mbeki, has insisted that Mr Vance's priority will be to try to come up with solutions to the problem of violence. Only then will it be feasible for negotiations to resume.

NICOSIA - The Iranian President, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, yesterday told the ANC leader, Nelson Mandela, on a two-day visit to Iran, that South Africa's blacks could triumph over apartheid only through struggle.