R. (Pik) Botha, March 5, 2001
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Date
2013-06-05
Authors
Botha, R.
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The interview was recorded in South Africa,on March 5, 2001.The Interviewer was Jean E. Krasno.
Law Adviser of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Member of Parliament and Minister of Foreign Affairs in South Africa
Pik Botha was born on 27 April 1932 in Rustenburg, Transvaal.His father was a school principal. Pik as he is affectionately known attended the Hoer Volkskool, Potchefstroom, and was a good all-round pupil, becoming chairman of debating society, head of the Voortrekkers, a member of the rugby team, an officer in the school cadets, and was top of his class.
He completed his B.A. LL.B at the University of Pretoria and in February 1953, he joined the South African Department of Foreign Affairs. In June 1956 he was transferred to the South African Mission in Stockholm, Sweden, as third secretary, and in January 1960, he moved on to the South African Embassy in Cologne, West Germany. Following his transfer back to Pretoria in January 1963 he became a member of the South African legal team in the South West African case (Ethiopia and Liberia vs South Africa) at the international Court of Justice, The Hague, from 1963-66. He represented the South African Government as Agent in the case from 1965-66 and it was at this time that he first became publicly known in South Africa.
Botha was appointed Law Adviser of the Department of Foreign Affairs in February 1966, and between 1966 and 1974 attended seven sessions of the United Nations General Assembly as a member of the South African delegation.
During this time he was promoted to the post of Under Secretary and Head of the South West African and United Nations-Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs. However, a month after presenting his credentials as Ambassador to the U.N, South Africa was suspended and Botha returned home.
In 1970 Botha’ life turned from that of a career diploma to politics and on 22 April he won the Wonderboom seat for the National Party, and held it again in 1974. In the early 1970’s, Botha was a member of the South African legal team in the 1970-71 case before the International Court of Justice on the South West Africa question. As a Member of Parliament, he served on a number of special committees, including the Committee of Public Accounts from 1970-74.
In 1975 Botha was appointed South African Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the USA, combining this post with that of permanent representative at the United Nations. During this time he was very much in the public eye with his distinct, assertive style of diplomacy and he became a popular figure amongst White South Africans.
Keywords
, United Nations General Assembly, President Bouteflika, Henry Kissinger, Nkomati Accord, Hard Choices, modus vivendi