This black political grouping was one of those that participated in the 1979 'internal settlement'.

When white minority rule was no longer tenable, Rhodesia moved first to a form of power sharing ('the internal settlement') and then to majority rule.

This internal settlement led to the creation of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia under a new constitution in 1979.

Britain was also reluctant to recognise the internal settlement for fear of fracturing the unity of the Commonwealth.

The internal settlement left control of the country's police, security forces, civil service and judiciary in white hands, for the moment.

He changed his views on militant struggle in the late 1970s and supported the 'internal settlement', serving in the attempted power-sharing governments.

The civil war that Ian Smith hoped to stem when he worked out the "internal settlement" continued unabated.

That is followed by - or better yet, accompanied by - an internal settlement between the puppet regime and the freedom fighters.

The "internal settlement" negotiated with some minor moderate black parties in 1978 left the white minority with an entrenched position.

Pakistan's revival of the demand may mean a delay, since it seems doubtful that an internal settlement can be put together quickly, if at all.