South Africa, US discuss independece for Namibia

South African and United States officials opened talks here Monday about US proposals to bring independence to Namibia (South-West Africa), a South African embassy spokesman reports.

The aim of the meeting, according to South African press reports, is to clarify US proposals setting a target date of Jan. 1, 1983, for the independence of the territory, which South Africa administers in defiance of UN resolutions. The State Department said South Africa had asked for the talks, which precede a meeting in New York next Thursday of foreign ministers belonging to the Western "contact group" on Namibia.