British balk at Rhodesian's plans

A political tug of war continues between the caretaker British government in Rhodesia and guerrilla leader Robert Mugabe, Monitor correspondent Gary Thatcher reports.

Mr. Mugabe is planning to return from Mozambique to Salisbury on Sunday, and his supporters have plastered the streets with posters announcing a welcoming political rally. But the British government is prodding him to order the release of some 70 political detainees in Mozambique before ending his exile there. The release of these detainees, who ran afoul of mr. Mugabe in the national Zimbabwe African National Union, is stipulated in the Lancaster House agreement, which Mr. Mugabe signed in London in December. He is reported to be balking at releasing them, though, and so the British governor here is balking at allowing him to return and start campaigning for next month's elections.