 The talks between Smith and the <unk> leader that had been progressing so <unk> were immediately halted by Salisbury . Smith himself called <unk> a " monster " . <unk> comments that the ending of the Smith – <unk> talks at this time was " potentially the most serious result of the Viscount massacre " , as the talks had been progressing well before the incident . He <unk> that an agreement between the two " at this critical stage " might have helped the transitional Rhodesian government to secure international recognition . 
