ITALY'S PEACE TERMS AT ONCE REJECTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 91, 17 April 1936, Page 7

ITALY'S PEACE TERMS AT ONCE REJECTED.

LATER MODIFIED.

Ethiopia to Ask for Stiffer

Sanctions.

GENEVA NEGOTIATIONS,

United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12.30 p.m.) GENEVA, April 16. As expected, Abyssinia categorically rejected the Italian conditions for peace negotiations and notified the Committee of Thirteen that the League Council would be asked, to establish Italy's non-acceptance of negotiations within the framework of t/ie League, also to apply against an aggressor the sanctions provided under Article XVI.

Subsequently Italy modified her attitude to the extent of agreeing, while maintaining her main points, to negotiate with the League's assistance, but would not agree to an armistice during the currency of the negotiations.

The Committee of Thirteen, possibly after questioning Rome to secure elucidation of Italy's proposals, will decide on Friday whether conciliation has failed, in which event the Committee of Eighteen will be convened in order to discuss further sanctions

Senor Madariaga, M. Avenol, Baron Aloisi and Signor Rocco conferred this morning for half an hour. It is understood Baron Aloisi suggested to Senor Madariaga that the Abyssinians approach Marshal Badoglio and ask for an immediate peace, after which Italy would be ready for general negotiations at Ouchy, instead of at Geneva.

Baron Aloisi is reported to have intimated that Italy would loyally support the League in future if it accepted this procedure, but League circles consider this impossible. Earlier Parleys. An earlier message from Geneva stated that the strictest secrecy is observed regarding the meeting last evening between the chairman of the Committee of Thirteen, Senor Madariaga, and the Italian delegate, Baron Aloisi. It lasted 40 minutes and occurred in the presence of M. Avenol, Secretary-General of the League. ,

It is unofficially reported that Baron Aloisi demanded as Signor Mussolini's price for entering into peace negotiations the disarmament of Abyssinia, the raising of sanctions and the withdrawal of the British naval reinforcements from the Mediterranean.

According to the Rome correspondent of the "Daily Mail," however, Baron Aloisi is not empowered to make any proposals or to enter into any bargain with the League. His mission, it has been stated, is essentially to act as Signor Mussolini's "ear" and to report back to Rome what Senor Madariaga proposes.

After that, the "Mail" says, Signor Mussolini may decide to make some counter-proposals. Probably they will include the raising of sanctions, which Italy maintains should precede peace negotiations.

LARGER COMMITTEE. MORE TALKS AT GENEVA. British Official Wireless. ; (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, April 16. A meeting of the League Sanctions Committee of Eighteen has been provisionally arranged for to-morrow, but whether it will be called together depends on the course of proceedings at the Conciliation Committee meeting.

Shortly after their arrival at Geneva Mr. Anthony Eden and M. Paul-Boncour were in contact with members of the other delegations. Mr. Eden received the Abyssinian representative, Wolde Mariam, at his hotel and was in conversation with him for a considerable time. Later, Mr. Eden had a talk with Senor Vasconcellos, chairman of the Committee of Eighteen, who later called on M. Paul-Boncour.

SECRET MEETING

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED,

(Received 2 p.m.)

RUGBY, April 16,

The League Committee of Thirteen met in secret at Geneva this evening, and after a session of two hours adjourned till to-morrow afternoon. Nothing authoritative is known of the outcome of these conversations, but a communique issued to-night states that the Committee received a report upon them from Senor Madariaga.

The communique adds: "It was decided that it would be advantageous to inform the Ethiopian representative of the result of the second conversation which Senor Madariaga and the Secre-tary-General, M. Avenol, had with Baron Aloisi during the afternoon.

SURPRISE ATTACK.

Abyssinians Destroy Italian Column. ARMIES STILL A MENACE. (Received 1.30 p.m.) ADDIS ABABA, April 16. The Abyssinians, as the result of a surprise attack, claim to have routed an Italian mechanised column advancing from Negelli, killing 320 Italians and 19 Askaris, besides capturing 12 machine guns and six lorries loaded with munitions. Abyssinian losses were 17 dead. The Emperor decorated the victorious officers. It is still asserted that the Abyssinian northern armies form an appreciable menace to the Italian rearguard, which might be cut off from the spearhead of the Italian advance.