 Johnston dismissed Smith 's argument , asserting that neither the Federation nor Rhodesia had ever made such an appointment ( this was actually false ; the Federal government had opened independent diplomatic missions in South Africa and Portuguese Mozambique , and Rhodesia retained them both ) . Johnston concluded that Rhodesia was trying to prematurely advance its international standing . The previous entrustments , he said , had been made to allow Britain and Rhodesia to cooperate subject to Whitehall 's ultimate authority , and did not entitle Rhodesia to do as it liked in the field of external affairs , especially if its chosen line ran counter to Britain 's . In an attempt to intimidate Smith , Johnston sternly asked why the Rhodesian Prime Minister would risk causing a major international incident by deliberately defying Britain ; Smith replied that following Britain 's several slights against Rhodesia over the previous year and a half , Salisbury would not accept another . The conversation continued in this manner for some time afterwards . Smith proposed that the relevant documents be examined jointly by two judges , one British and one Rhodesian , but Johnston refused this . The meeting ended without agreement . 
