 Two weeks later , Wilson travelled to Salisbury to continue the talks . The British Prime Minister proposed that future black representation in the Rhodesian parliament might be safeguarded by the revocation of some of Salisbury 's self @-@ governing powers , held since 1923 . This was a horrific prospect in the eyes of his Rhodesian opponents , and proved the final straw for Smith 's government . The Unilateral Declaration of Independence was signed by the Rhodesian Cabinet on 11 November 1965 , to almost unanimous international acrimony . The next day the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 216 , which condemned the declaration as an illegal one " made by a racist minority " , and called on all member states to withhold diplomatic recognition . 
