§ Mr. Horabinasked the Prime Minister when and in what terms Herr Hitler has undertaken to respect the neutrality of Belgium, Luxemburg, Holland and Denmark?
§ Mr. ButlerFollowing is a comprehensive statement giving the dates and terms of Herr Hitler's declarations to the Governments of these countries.
On 13th October, 1937, the German Government made a declaration to the Belgian Government in which they affirmed that the inviolability and integrity of Belgium were a matter of common interest to the Western Powers. The German Government confirmed their determination not to infringe that inviolability and that integrity under any circumstances and to respect Belgian territory at all times except, it went without saying, in the event of Belgium taking part in military action against Germany. On 26th August, 1939, the German Ambassador at Brussels was received by the 882W King of the Belgians and, according to the communique issued after the audience, gave His Majesty certain explanations regarding the attitude of Germany towards Belgium in the event of a conflict in Europe proving inevitable. After expressing the desire of the Reich to continue the good relations which existed between the two countries the Ambassador solemnly re-affirmed to His Majesty the undertaking toward Belgium assumed by the German Government in their Note of 13th October, 1937, and repeated that the Reich would in no way infringe the integrity of Belgium and would respect her frontiers so long as Belgium observed an attitude of strict neutrality.
On 28th August, 1939, the German Minister at Luxemburg declared to the Luxemburg Minister of State that the Reich had decided to maintain towards the Grand Duchy an attitude which in the event of a conflict would under no circumstances infringe the inviolability of the Grand Ducal territory. The Government of the Reich expected the Grand Duchy to maintain an attitude of strict neutrality.
On 26th August, 1939, the German Minister at The Hague conveyed to the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs an assurance from his Government that they would respect in every particular the neutrality of the Netherlands. In return they expected that the Netherlands Government would take all steps to maintain and defend it themselves.
On 28th August, 1939, the German Minister at Copenhagen gave the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs a similar assurance.