Meeting With Prime Minister Abel Tendekai Muzorewa of Rhodesia White House Statement.

President Carter met with Bishop Muzorewa this afternoon because of the President's deep personal commitment to help find a solution for the peaceful transfer of responsible political authority from the white minority to the black majority in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.

In a frank exchange of views, the President emphasized his sincere desire to see an end to the bitterness and bloodshed in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. He believes this can be accomplished by the establishment of a broadly based consensus on constitutional procedures and administrative processes which are responsive to the legitimate political aspirations of all the peoples of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.

The President restated his intention to work closely with the Government of the United Kingdom, which has the primary legal and historic responsibility to bring Zimbabwe-Rhodesia to independence based on full political participation and human rights guarantees for all its citizens. He expressed the hope that the Muzorewa administration would work closely with the United Kingdom in seeking nonmilitary, political means to further this goal.