Mandela Urged to Explain His IRA Proposal

LONDON —  Nelson Mandela was put on the defensive today over his calls for Britain to reverse its policy of refusing to negotiate with the IRA.

The black nationalist, trying to calm the uproar he created with remarks in Ireland on Monday, insisted he was only promoting peace--not interfering in the Northern Ireland conflict.

The controversy developed after Mandela, on an otherwise triumphant 14-nation trip to promote his anti-apartheid efforts, said in Dublin that the British government should negotiate with the Irish Republican Army. British officials have refused to do so, saying it is a terrorist group.

The deputy president of the African National Congress has drawn bipartisan British criticism over his comments. He was challenged to clarify his statement today when he spoke to about 200 members of Parliament at the House of Commons.

Mandela’s two-day visit to London, which began late Monday night, was expected to focus on Britain’s stand that European sanctions on South Africa should be lifted to encourage the reforms launched by President Frederik W. de Klerk.

Instead, the IRA dispute has attracted the most attention.

“I expressed no opinion whatsoever on the actual conflict between the IRA and the British government,” Mandela told today’s meeting of Parliament’s all-party Southern Africa Committee.

He said his group believes “that all conflicts, wherever in the world . . . should be settled peacefully.”