Coll 25/23 'Orders in Council: Ethiopia: Repeal of the Ethiopian Order in Council, 1934; Surrender of British Consular Jurisdiction' [‎6r] (11/552)

CONFIDENTIAL
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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOYERNMJ
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ABYSSINIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
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June 9, 1944.
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Mr. Cook to Mr. Eden.
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(Received §th June.) 'J
(No. 114.) _ jCL 1944
Sir, Abaoa, 29th May, 1944.
WITH reference to my telegram No. 294 I have the honour to transmit to you
herewith a copy of the note Jated 55th May, addressed to me by the Ethiopian
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, giving three months’ notice of termination of
the Agreement and of the Convention of the 31 st January. 1942. in accordance
with the provision contained in Article All of the agreement.
2. In handing a formal acknowledgment of the notice to the Vice-Minister
for Foreign Affairs the next day, I tried to sound him as to the reasons for his
decision at this juncture, but without result. Ato Aklilou tended to assume a
defensive attitude, saying that the Ethiopian Government were fully entitled to
terminate the agreement, which no longer corresponded to the present situation,
but stressing that they had no desire in so doing to terminate the special relations
existing between our two countries. On the contrary, as he had repeatedly told
Mr. Howe and myself during the last four months, it was his earnest wish to see a
new agreement concluded as quickly as possible. For the first time Ato Aklilou
mentioned the possibility of British counter-proposals to the Ethiopian draft
agreement submitted in January last.
3. As I mentioned in my telegram No. 296, this legation had received no
intimation of the intention to give notice as above, although the Oriental
Counsellor and myself are in frequent contact with various members of the
Government and with the advisers. We know, however, that in the almost daily
confabulations of the Council of Ministers, in which so little is achieved, the
question of the agreement forms a constant topic of anxious discussion, and it is
this which no doubt contributes to the Emperor’s own anxiety to see quicker
progress made over negotiations for a new understanding between our two
countries. It is no secret that there are two parties or schools of thought as
regards the value of close attachment to the British connexion, and it is rumoured
that the Crown Prince (whose relations with the Emperor are now said to be much
better than in the past) has expressed himself very strongly over the decision to
give notice of termination of the present agreement.
4. A copy of this despatch is being sent to the Minister Resident in the
Middle East.
I have, &c.
F. A. G. COOK.
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CXo.
IX
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Enclosure.
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs to Mr. Cook.
Sir, Addis Ababa, 2bth May, 1944.
REFERENCE is made to my note of the 12th January, 1944, in
which was set forth the position of this Government in regard to the necessity
of replacing the Agreement and the Convention of the 31st January, 1942, at the
earliest possible moment, by a new agreement more consonant with the realities of
the present situation, and with which was communicated a draft agreement trans
mitted in the name and behalf of His Imperial Majesty.
In communicating the proposal for a new agreement, His Imperial Majesty
was acting in complete accord with the stipulations and spirit of theexisting agree
ment which provide that His Majesty the Emperor make the proposals for a new
treaty to replace the present agreement, and that if the replacement is not effected
within two years from the date of the existing agreement, the latter would be
subject to termination on three months’ notice.
[54—29]