The border regions clashed with the Italian garrison there. The Ethiopians lost 35 wounded in this clash, while the Italian force, all of them local militias, suffered 7 dead and 30 wounded. The spark of the crisis that became known as the "Abyssinian Question" was ignited by this incident, which led to the war and then the Italian occupation of Ethiopia. The Italian government demanded in December compensation for the events, a formal Ethiopian apology, and recognition of Italy's right to "Wal-Wal," and that Ethiopian forces salute the Italian flag there and hand over Omar Samatar to the Italian authorities. Italy set the compensation at 100 Maria Theresa dollars. It refused to submit the dispute to arbitration, as stipulated by the agreement signed between the two countries in 1928. The British and French consuls tried to pressure Emperor Haile Selassie to accept the Italian demands, but he refused, arguing that this approach would encourage Italy to further hostile actions. The matter was raised with the League of Nations. From mid-December 1935 until the outbreak of war on October 1, 1935, a bitter diplomatic dispute raged between the two countries at the League of Nations. While Ethiopia expressed its readiness to meet Italy's demands if its responsibility for the events was proven through investigation and arbitration committees, Italy refused to accept the principle of arbitration and resorted to maneuvers to gain time to complete its military preparations for the invasion. On January 3, 1935, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, in a letter to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations, requested the implementation of Article 11 of the League's Covenant regarding the dispute, which stipulates taking immediate action to protect peace. In response, the Italian government sent General De Bono to East Africa to create a supply base for the Italian forces that would flow into the region. On January 10, 1935, General De Bono was appointed High Commissioner for East Africa and arrived in Massawa on January 16. From the beginning of the crisis, Britain and France sided with Italy and strongly resisted including the matter on the League's agenda. Then, after the League accepted the inclusion of the Ethiopian complaint, their plans shifted to making various efforts to prevent its discussion and to pressure the Ethiopian delegate to change his position. In January, the French Prime Minister Pierre Laval visited Rome, ending Paris's traditional hostility towards Italy and giving Italy a free hand in Ethiopia. It was reported that the Laval-Mussolini agreement included France ceding some territories in Tunisia and Djibouti to Italy.