HC Deb 13 February 1967 vol 741 c14W
88. Mr. Hastings

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what grounds the Security Council of the United Nations gave for refusing to hear a Rhodesian representative before imposing mandatory sanctions.

Mr. George Thomson

The telegram containing the request by the illegal regime for a representative to be heard by the Council was circulated by the President to all members of the Security Council on 30th December, 1966. No further action has been taken on the telegram. When a similar request was made last May, the Secretary-General made a statement in the Council on 18th May in which he pointed out that Southern Rhodesia was not an independent State and that Article 32 of the Charter did not therefore apply. He also recalled that the Council in several resolutions described the regime in Southern Rhodesia as illegal. He had decided, therefore, not to reply to Salisbury. The Security Council accepted this decision.