§ Mr. Newensasked the Lord Privy Seal if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to treat the regime established illegally by army officers in Bolivia as the Government of that country; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RidleyAs my right hon. Friend stated in his reply of 25 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Westbury (Mr. Walters) the British Government recognise States, not Governments. On the matter of our relations with the new regime in Bolivia, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 29 July.—[Vol. 984, c. 277–79.]
§ Mr. Newensasked the Lord Privy Seal if the British Embassy in La Paz will give asylum to individuals whose life and liberty may be at risk from the administration established by Bolivian army officers following the recent coup.
§ Mr. RidleyThis is a hypothetical question. Any individual request for asylum in the British Embassy would be considered on its merits.