§ 29. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the consent of the Royal Abyssinian Government will he a necessary part of any agreement reached between the British, French, and Italian Governments concerning the interests and national rights and property of Abyssinia; and whether this will apply to agreements reached with regard to railway construction and irrigation schemes?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Godfrey Locker-Lampson)The consent of the Abyssinian Government will naturally be sought before any works of the nature indicated in the question are undertaken by His Majesty's Government under the Agreement of 1905 and the recent exchange of Notes.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYSurely it is rather late in the day. Why is not the Abyssinian Government a party to the negotiations going on now as it affects Abyssinian territory?
§ Mr. LOCKER - LAMPSONThe Abyssinian Government was not a party to the Treaty of 1906 at all.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYSurely the entry of Abyssinia into the League of Nations abrogates that Treaty. How can you partition the territory of a member of the League without consulting that Government?
§ Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONThere is no question of partitioning territory.