ANC-AVF TALKS STILL POSSIBLE

The decision by the right-wing Afrikaner Volksfront on Jan. 10 to suspend talks with the African National Congress (ANC) over an Afrikaner homeland does not mean the end of negotiations with the right-wing, ANC President Nelson Mandela said this week.

``The fact that he [Volksfront co-leader Ferdi Hartzenberg] has suspended negotiations does not mean that I have no means of persuading them to get back to talks,'' Mr. Mandela said. ``I am confident that men of peace will be able to prevail.

``We will never concede to the demand for a separate Afrikaner homeland,'' he said, repeating remarks he made in a weekend television interview. But he added that he had told right-wing negotiators that he was prepared to discuss Afrikaners running their own affairs in an area provided they could prove they commanded a majority there and would accord equal rights to non-Afrikaners. His comments followed a meeting with President Frederik de Klerk at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Jan. 11.

Mr. Hartzenberg, who is also the right-wing Conservative Party leader, announced on Jan. 10 the suspension of five-month-old talks between the two organizations.