File No. 125.0055/2
The Belgian Minister (Havenith) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary of State: I have just received the following cablegram from my Government:
The German Government has just notified the neutral powers of its intention to cancel the exequaturs granted by the Belgian Government to foreign consuls and to create but three consular posts at Brussels, Liége, and Antwerp, temporary recognition only being granted to those officers.
The Belgian Government has entered protest at Berlin. Under Article 42 of the fourth convention of The Hague, military occupation only confers upon the occupant state over the territory of the occupied state de facto possession; the right to cancel all exequaturs can not be derived from that title.
I have been officially instructed to notify your excellency of the Belgian Government’s protest.
Be pleased [etc.]