HAILI SELLASSIE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 147, 6 June 1936, Page 5

HAILI SELLASSIE

Wreath Laid on Whitehall Cenotaph VISIT BY MR. EDEN (British Official Wireless.) (Beceived (i, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, Juno 5. The Emperor of Ethiopia drove to tho Cenotaph, where ho placed a wreath, lie was accompanied by tho Crown Prince, Has Kassa and the Abyssinian Minister. A largo crowd at Whitehall watched tho ceremony. During the afternoon tho Foreign Secretary paid a courtesy call on the Emperor at his house in Kensington, where tho latter is staying. Mr Eden remained for about half an hour.

Newspapers suggest that tho Emperor may shortly proceed to Switzerland, where ho owns a residence at Lausanne,

Tho Foreign Secretary has an engagement in his constituency to-morrow which will prevent his attending tho reception given by the Abyssinian Minister, Mr Martin, to meet Haili Seilassie. Lord Cranborne, however, will attend. Among those who have accepted invitations other than members of the diplomatic corps is Mr Lloyd George.

Tho “Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent claims that in the course of a special interview with Haili Seilassie he was able to tell the Emperor that on tho day before his flight from Addis Ababa, Signor Mussolini ordered tho presentation of an ultimatum, under which the Emperor would have maintained his throne and tho sovereignty of tho Central Amharic provinces, but subject to an Italian protectorate with control of foreign relations.

The Emperor replied; “If Signor Mussolini wished to communicate with me I wasn’t far away. I am now even more accessible for negotiations, and in nowise have I renounced my rights of sovereignty.” It is expected that the Emperor will go to Lausanne next week to prepare for the League Council meeting.