When the Rhodesia Conference opened in Geneva on 28 October, the ICRC took the opportunity to contact all the parties represented. It had talks with the nationalist leaders—Mr. R. Mugabe, Mgr. Muzorewa, Mr. J. Nkomo and the Rev. Sithole—and with the Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Mr. I. Smith, his Minister of Justice, Mr. H. Squires, and with the chairman of the Conference, Mr. I. Richard, ambassador and permanent representative of the United Kingdom to the UN.