URGENT DISCUSSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 140, 10 December 1935, Page 9

URGENT DISCUSSIONS

PROPOSALS IN LONDON

CABINET CONSIDERATION

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received December 10, 11 a.m.)

RUGBY, December 9.

The weekend discussions in Paris between the Foreign Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, and the French Prime Minister, M. Laval, and the formulas of the proposed basis for a negotiated settlement of the Italo-Abyssinian dispute approved by the two statesmen j for submission to the interested parties, were the subject of a question by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. C. R. Attlee, in the House of Commons this afternoon.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, in reply, referred to the statement issued at the close of the conversations, to the effect that there could be no question of publishing.the terms of the proposals, which had yet to be approved by the British Government, and said that the documents drawn up in Paris had reached Los.don early today, and were receiving urgent consideration. He would prefer not to make any further statement at the moment.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister had a consultation at 10 Downing Street with the Minister for League Affairs, Mr. Eden, and Mr. Peterson, head of the Abyssinian Department of the Foreign Office, who returned from Paris overnight, and this evening Cabinet met. at the House of Commons to consider the proposals in detail.

The British Government's decision in regard to the plan will at once be conveyed to Paris. If it indicates approval the formulas will be placed before Signor Mussolini in the name of both the French and the British Governments at the earliest possible moment. They will also be submitted to the Emperor of Abyssinia, and steps will be taken to ascertain whether a settlement on the lines projected would have the approval of the League of i Nations..

Newspapers attach special importance to the fact that the French. Government, as a result of the Paris conversations, has consented to join Britain in making a final strong appeal to Signor Mussolini. The latter's speech in the Italian Chamber on Saturday is examined by the newspapers as to the possible outcome of this appeal. His reference to a slight improvement is noted, but his stiff attitude in regard to the proposals submitted to him in Paris in October, reiterated in the speech, has qualified the feelings of optimism.

The terms of the proposals now to be submitted are kept a close secret. jThe Press has been urgently requested not to speculate concerning them, and any reports professing to reveal them must be regarded as pure conjecture.