HC Deb 13 June 1979 vol 968 cc234-6W
15. Mr. Wall

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will now send a permanent representative to Salisbury, Rhodesia.

Sir Ian Gilmour

The Government have sent a senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office official based in London to Salisbury, to keep in the closest touch with Bishop Muzorewa and his Administration.

16. Mr. David Atkinson

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is satisfied that the recent one-man one-vote elections in Rhodesia satisfy the sixth principle of acceptability.

Sir Ian Gilmour

I believe that my hon. Friend is referring to the fifth principle. The constitution has not been submitted directly to the electorate as a whole but Lord Boyd concluded that the elections were fairly conducted and as free as possible in the circumstances. Our objective now is to bring Rhodesia back to legality with the widest possible international recognition.

19. Mr. Hastings

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on Rhodesia.

Sir Ian Gilmour

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Jessel).

20. Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Lord Privy Seal when the Government intend to recognise the new multi-racial Government in Salisbury and to end economic sanctions.

Sir Ian Gilmour

The Government have made it clear that our objective is to return Rhodesia to legality with the widest possible international recognition. We shall be considering how best to achieve this objective in the light of the consultations which my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Harlech, is undertaking.

22. Mr. Ioan Evans

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received from the Commonwealth High Commissioner about the situation in Rhodesia.

Sir Ian Gilmour

My right hon. and noble Friend received a delegation of Commonwealth High Commissioners in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 23 May for an exchange of views on Rhodesia.

23. Mr. Wilkinson

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the recent visits of British diplomatic emissaries to Rhodesia and neighbouring countries.

Sir Ian Gilmour

The deputy to the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Antony Duff, visited Salisbury in mid-May for consultations with Bishop Muzorewa; my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, visited Southern Africa for talks on Namibia at the end of May; Mr Derek Day, assistant under-secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office arrived in Salisbury on 1 June to continue contacts with the new Administration in Rhodesia; and my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Harlech is embarking, as the Government's special emissary, on a tour of African States most closely involved in the Rhodesia problem.

25. Mr. Robert Hughes

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will consider setting up an inquiry into the breaking of oil sanctions to Rhodesia consequent on the Bingham report.

Sir Ian Gilmour

The Government are considering the matter and a statement will be made as soon as possible.