§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whom Her Majesty's Government recognise as (a) the defacto, and (b) the de jure Government of Rhodesia.
§ Mr. RowlandsThe distinction between de facto and de jure Governments has no application as regards our attitude to the Government of a British colony (as Southern Rhodesia in law is). We do not recognise the illegal regime in Southern Rhodesia as being the Government of that territory in any capacity, although, as successive Governments have stated, in practice the present regime has been in control of affairs. In law, the Government of the territory is the Government provided for by the 1961 constitution, as for the time being modified. However, we accept that in practice much of that constitution is temporarily inoperative and the lawful Government is therefore unable to function.