Negotiating the Freedom of Namibia. The diplomatic achievement of the Western Contact Group

At the beginning of 1977, five members of the Security Council caused quite a stir at the United Nations Organization in New York. France, Great Britain and the USA, plus two non-permanent members, Canada and the Federal Republic of Germany prepared a joint initiative in order to resolve the deadlock over South Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia. It gave rise, on the one hand, to the hope that the apartheid regime in Pretoria, which had previously blocked all progress, would accept Namibia's independence with a democratic constitution based on the rule of law. On the other hand, Namibia's liberation movement SWAPO had many reasons to distrust the diplomatic process. In this study, the multi-faceted political and diplomatic developments – and dramatic setbacks – are analyzed by a key participant in the negotiations. Hans-Joachim Vergau was the desk officer for Namibia at Germany's UN Mission in New York until 1980 and subsequently, until 1985, Head of the Section (320) which dealt with Namibia at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bonn. Many initiatives to keep the diplomatic process going were undertaken as a result of his activities, especially during the difficult times of the Reagan Administration in the US. Following an intermediate posting to Paris, Vergau returned to New York as deputy head of the UN Mission with the rank of Ambassador from 1987 to1993, participating personally once again in all aspects concerning Namibia's move towards independence in 1990.