F W de Klerk

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F. W. de Klerk

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

F. W. de Klerk (Frederik Willem de Klerk) , 1936-, South African statesman, president of South Africa (1989-94). Holding ministerial posts from 1978, he became (1989) acting president when P. W. Botha resigned. Recognizing that black resistance to the white power monopoly would only increase, de Klerk, despite his conservative reputation, began the process of ending apartheid , lifting the ban on antiapartheid parties and releasing Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990. In 1991 he obtained the repeal of all remaining apartheid laws and called for the drafting of a new constitution, leading to the approval of a multiracial transitional government in 1993. De Klerk and Mandela were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1993. Mandela succeeded de Klerk as president in 1994, and de Klerk became one of two vice presidents in a government of national unity. Two years later the National Party withdrew from the government to form an official opposition, and in 1997 De Klerk retired from politics.

Bibliography: See his autobiographical The Last Trek (1999).

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de Klerk, F.W.

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

de Klerk, F.W. ( Frederik Willem) (1936– ) South African statesman, president (1989–94). De Klerk entered parliament in 1972 and joined the cabinet in 1978. In 1989, de Klerk led a ‘palace coup’ against P. W. Botha, and became president and National Party leader. Following a narrow electoral victory, de Klerk began the process of dismantling apartheid. In 1990, the ban on the African National Congress (ANC) was lifted and Nelson Mandela was released. In 1991, the principal apartheid laws were repealed and victory in a 1992 whites-only referendum marked the end of white minority rule. In 1993, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela. Following the 1994 elections, de Klerk became deputy president in Mandela's government of national unity. In 1996, he resigned and led the Nationalists out of the coalition. He retired as leader of the National Party in 1997.

http://www.nobel.se/peace/laureates/1993/klerk-bio.html; http://www.fwdklerk.org.za/

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South Africa's F.W. de Klerk resigns from politics.(Originated from Knight-Ridder Newspapers)
Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service; 8/26/1997; ; 700+ words ; ...JOHANNESBURG, South Africa _ F.W. de Klerk, the former South African...Indians, were voting for de Klerk rather than for the National...Frederik Willem de Klerk, born into a stalwart...Africa, has been called F.W. all his life. He followed...
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Former South African President F.W. De Klerk throws 70th birthday party
News Wire article from: AP Worldstream; 3/18/2006; ; 700+ words ; ...Africa's last white president, F.W. De Klerk, threw a 70th birthday party attended...the hardline white nationalist P.W. Botha in 1989 and stunned the world...also heads the Cape Town-based F.W. De Klerk Foundation, which tries to further...
The travelling salesman; F.W. de Klerk had better be as eager to talk to South Africans as he is to their neighbors. (editorial)
Magazine article from: The Economist (US); 9/2/1989; 700+ words ; ...National party's leader, Mr F.W. de Klerk, is doing his most conspicuous...more significant than de Klerk-the-acting-president...his predecessor, Mr P.W. Botha, at least towards...The logic of talking Mr de Klerk's sincerity should not...
Man of integrity, revisited. (President F.W. de Klerk and South Africa's covert operations against the African National Congress)
Magazine article from: The Economist (US); 8/3/1991; 700+ words ; President de Klerk hopes a cabinet reshuffle...Freedom Party, President F.W. de Klerk must win confidence in his...in his reshuffle Mr de Klerk has promoted some younger...sternfaced predecessor, P.W. Botha. Hermanus Kriel...
F.W. de Klerk talks about change during U. Missouri-St. Louis address
News Wire article from: University Wire; 9/26/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient F.W. de Klerk addressed University of Missouri...Student Government Association. De Klerk sought to change society for the...South African Communist Party. De Klerk, along with Mandela, won the Nobel...
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Newspaper article from: St. Joseph News-Press; 10/5/2005; 444 words ; ...in Maryville, Mo., tonight. F.W. de Klerk, president of South Africa from...Prize in 1993. In 2000 Mr. de Klerk published an autobiography "The...The same year, he established the F.W. de Klerk Foundation, an organization that...
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The nailing of F.W. de Klerk.
Magazine article from: The Economist (US); 10/17/1992; 700+ words ; ...party loyalists to "nail" President F.W. de Klerk. Its exhortation is already superfluous. Lately Mr de Klerk seems to have been rather good at...that Mr Mandela outmanoeuvred Mr de Klerk. The inclusion of killers and criminals...
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