Coventry Four - Controversial Visit

Controversial Visit

In June 1984, British prime minister Margaret Thatcher controversially invited South Africa's president P.W. Botha and foreign minister Pik Botha to a meeting at Chequers in an effort to stave off growing international pressure for the imposition of economic sanctions against South Africa, where both the U.S. and Britain had invested heavily. Although not officially on the meeting's agenda, the Coventry Four affair clouded both the proceedings at Chequers and Britain's bilateral diplomatic relations with South Africa.

In August 1989, British diplomat Patrick Haseldine was dismissed for publicly criticising the UK government in the press of double standards over the release of the four suspects.