§ 15. Mr. NOEL-BAKERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government still adhere to the declaration made by the Committee of Twelve members of the Council of the League of Nations on 16th February, 1932, to the effect that no infringement of the territorial integrity and no change in the political independence of any member of the League brought 2432 about in disregard of Article 10 of [...]Covenant ought to be recognised as va[...]and effectual by the members of [...]League; and whether the principle t[...]expressed will guide their action wi[...]regard to Abyssinia?
§ Mr. EDENHis Majesty's Governme[...]adhere to the principle enunciated in the declaration referred to by the hon. Me[...]ber which was made in connection wit the particular case of the Sino-Japanes[...]dispute. But in its application to an case His Majesty's Government must b[...]entitled to take account of the facts o[...]the situation and of the necessity—whe[...]the protection of British interests is involved—of dealing with the actual authorities on the spot. Any such action on their part does not imply approval of the methods by which the situation was brought about.
Miss RATHBONEIf Addis Ababa were in fact deprived of its Legation, would not that mean a de facto if not a de jure change in the status of Abyssinia?
§ Mr. EDENI should like to see that question on the Order Paper. The point that we want to make is that we must, in Manchuria and elsewhere, enter into such negotiations with the authorities as are necessary to protect British interests.