STATEMENT IN HOUSE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20539, 14 February 1935, Page 1

STATEMENT IN HOUSE.

British Minister to Use Good Offices. (Received February 14, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, February 13. The situation in dispute between Italy and Abyssinia was the subject of a statement in the House of Commons by Sir John Simon. He said that his Majesty’s Government had been informed that the mobilisation of the Italian troops was a precautionary measure and in no way implied the intention of the Italian Government to abandon its endeavours to seek an amicable settlement of its differences with Ethiopia by direct negotiations, as foreshadowed by the letters addressed to the SecretaryGeneral of the League of Nations on January 19. The Government had also been informed that there not only has been no advance on the part of Italian forces from the line they have long occupied in the disputed area, but also the Italian Minister in Addis Ababa has been instructed to negotiate with the Abyssinian Government. The British Minister in the Ethiopian capital has been authorised to use his good offices in promoting the success of these negotiations. Sir John Simon added that the Press reports current yesterday of an Italian ultimatum to Abyssinia had been officially denied. Protests, however, had been made to Addis Ababa following the recent frontier incidents, and in making these protests the Italian Government reserved the right to seek reparation. The Ethiopian Government had stated that it had lived up to the undertakings given in their letter addressed to the League and strict orders had been given to avoid further incidents. So far as he was aware no fresh appeal had been made by either side to the League of Nations, said Sir John.