negotiation. They continually interrupted the lawyers' work with new demands, meaning that by 8 November practically no progress had been made. A meeting was organised for the next day, 9 November: the chaotic parley led nowhere, with the nationalists once again taking turns to make long, irrelevant speeches while the Rhodesians attempted to have Richard return the subject to the new constitution. Smith, who had earlier supported Richard as mediator in the face of the nationalists' criticism, became very frustrated by Richard's refusal to be firm with the PF and restore order to the proceedings. Unproductive discussions continued for another month, with Mugabe persistently arriving late to the meetings. When Rhodesian minister P K van der Byl confronted Mugabe about his tardiness and tersely demanded an apology, the ZANU leader became enraged and screamed, "Foul-mouthed bloody fool!" Abandonment Finally, on 14 December 1976, British Foreign Minister Anthony Crosland announced that the conference was to be adjourned. It was never reconvened—the Patriotic Front now said that it would not return to Geneva or take part in any further talks unless immediate black rule was made the only subject for discussion. Apparently believing that the British and Rhodesians were secretly working together to prevent this, Nkomo laid down pre-conditions for any new conference. "The Rhodesian situation is a war situation ... On our side it is the Patriotic Front, and on the British ... side it is the British government with the Rhodesian régime as [its] extension. ... The agenda must have only one item ... the transfer of power from the minority to the majority. This means a constitution based on universal adult suffrage. ... This item should take four to five days." Notes and references Notes References Bibliography 1976 conferences 1976 in international relations 1976 in Switzerland 1976 in Rhodesia 20th-century diplomatic conferences Diplomatic conferences in Switzerland Foreign relations of Rhodesia History of Rhodesia ZANU–PF Rhodesian Bush War