Dr. A.L. Geyer as Suid-Afrika se hoë kommissaris in die Verenigde Koninkryk (1950-1954)

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Dr. A.L. Geyer's appointment in June 1950 as the Union's new High Commissioner toLondon was largely due to the political objectives of the then government. He wasconfronted by a number of related challenges, i.e. the furthering of the existing multifacetedSouth-African-British relations, the promotion of the apartheid policy andconvincing the Union's critics as to the merits of the above policy.Geyer, a loyal Afrikaner and staunch republican, experienced soon after arrival that thepolicy of apartheid and the Union Government's insistence on the transfer of the HighCommission territories were placing the existing diplomatic relations under considerablestrain. To Geyer's frustration the Union Government failed to realise that the applicationof the apartheid policy 'was affecting South Africa's foreign relations detrimentally. Theeffect of the Union's domestic policies was therefore prohibiting any possibility of thetransfer of the British-controlled neighbouring territories. Geyer was thus faced withmaintaining a delicate balance between white-centred aspirations in South Africa,championing South Africa's interests overseas and his own evolving perspective that theapplication of the apartheid policy was not going to be acceptable to the outside world.Geyer was also well aware that the Cold War would contribute substantially to theconstitutional liberation of the former British colonies in Africa, which in turn wouldaffect the composition of the Commonwealth and South Africa's future membership. Hetherefore took Union politicians to task for actions that were geared to satisfy short-termparty-political expectations, without taking into account both the national andinternational ramifications of such actions.Geyer did not differ fundamentally with the principles and objectives of apartheid;however, he was no stereotyped Afrikaner who simply supported apartheid without anyquestioning. In his public appearances he emphasised the historical, cultural and sociopoliticalmotivation for apartheid, the practical embodiment of the policy and the rightsand role of the whites in South Africa. He portrayed apartheid as a political model thatenvisages equal, but separate development for all races that would ensure the peaceful co- existence of a multi-racial community. Geyer continuously emphasised that only visibleand positive results emanating from the application of apartheid, would guaranteeacceptance of the policy and also secure the future of the white population in SouthAfrica. Geyer was therefore very critical of the government's inability to give meaningfulcontent to the policy of apartheid.Geyer's biggest personal disappointment was the inability of his mentor and friend, Dr.D.F. Malan, to rise above the role of the party politician in becoming a competentMinister of Foreign Affairs and as Prime Minister, a statesman of international stature.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University