§ Lieut.-Commander FLETCHERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any request from the Italian Government for the removal of the Sikh guard from His Majesty's legation at Addis Ababa has been received by His Majesty's Government or by Sir Sidney Barton; and whether the various precincts of His Majesty's Consulates in Ethopia are still maintained intact in British occupation without interference from the Italian military forces?
§ Mr. EDENThe Italian Government have invited His Majesty's Government to consider whether, in the light of the occupation of Addis Ababa, it would not now be desirable to withdraw the reinforcement despatched last year to 1650 strengthen the British Legation guard and to provide adequate protection for British subjects in the event of local emergency. As the situation in Addis Ababa is still far from stable, the Italian Government have been informed that the matter is still under consideration. As regards the last part of the question, His Majesty's Consulates at Mega and Maji have been temporarily closed owing to the difficulty of protecting or evacuating their staffs in the event of local disorders such as have occurred elsewhere. In Harar, which has been occupied by the Italian forces, His Majesty's Consulate continues to function normally.