Former Ambassador Criticizes

Franklin H. Williams, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Ghana under President Johnson, said last night that American foreign policy in southern Africa exhibits "unconscious racism."

Speaking at a Dunster House political affairs seminar, Williams criticized American policy as directed by Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger '50 for being "too little" to deal with the problems of black Africans, "too late" to stop fighting in southern Africa, and "too early" for whites who are unwilling to accept black majority rule.

Williams also criticized Kissinger for expressing surprise at African leader Julius Nyere's diplomatic skill.

Kissinger's attitude was "shocking," Williams said, and added that he feels the State Department views black leaders in Africa as somehow inferior to the white governments.

Despite strong military opposition from Rhodesia's white minority government, the black revolutionary fighters feel they are close to a victory in Rhodesia, Williams said.

Williams predicted that some form of black majority government would be established in Rhodesia by the winter of 1977.

Bantustans

South Africa's policy of setting up nominally independent black states called Bantustans is a method of maintaining white rule in South Africa by making all blacks aliens, although they will still be economically dependent on South Africa, Williams said.

The Vorster "dream" is that if the Bantustans are established, the international community will accept them as a reality, Williams said.

However, Bantustan leaders have realized that the "paper independence" they will get from South Africa would be a "sell out," Williams said.

Williams said he is optimistic that the Carter administration will have a more "enlightened" policy in Southern Africa than the Ford-Kissinger administration.

The Carter administration "will have a more direct pipeline to responsible judgements about southern Africa," Williams said, adding that he is interested in seeing whom Carter will appoint to African affairs policy posts.

When the possibility was raised that Williams himself might play a role in the Carter administration's policy towards southern Africa, Williams said, "I doubt it."