Mr Asquith's Statement
In a strained silence in every part of the House of Commons yesterday, the Prime Minister made his momentous statement.
He explained how the King of the Belgians had appealed to England for diplomatic intervention on behalf of his country - Germany having demanded free passage for her troops through Belgium, promising to maintain the integrity and independence of the kingdom.
'Simultaneously,' continued Mr Asquith, 'we received from the Belgian Legation in London the following telegram from the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs: "The General Staff announce that territory has been violated at Verviers, near Aix-la-Chapelle. Subsequent information tends to show that a German force has penetrated still further into Belgian territory."
'...we cannot regard this as in any sense a satisfactory communication...'
'We also received this morning from the German Ambassador here a telegram sent to him from the German Foreign Secretary: "Please dispel any distrust that must exist on the part of the British Government with regard to our intentions by repeating, most positively, the formal assurance that, even in case of armed conflict with Belgium, Germany will not, under any pretence whatever, annex Belgian territory. Please impress upon Sir Edward Grey that the German Army could not be exposed to a French attack across Belgium, which was planned according to absolutely unimpeachable information."
'I have,' continued Mr Asquith, 'to add this on behalf of the Government: we cannot regard this as in any sense a satisfactory communication.
'We have, in reply to it, repeated the request we made last week to the German Government that they should give us the same assurance with regard to Belgian neutrality as was given to us and to Belgium by France last week.
'We have asked that a reply to that request and a satisfactory answer to the telegram of this morning, which I have read to the House, should be given before midnight.'
Published: 2002-01-01
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