Chapter 30

"We in the Netherlands will not make any comments on the matter of the British Empire being crowned by Prince Edward, because that is the matter of the British Empire.

However, this does not prevent the Netherlands from making all independent decisions. We have invited the provinces of Antwerp and Limburg to jointly visit Amsterdam. This visit will strengthen the comprehensive cooperation between the two Dutch provinces and the two places. , including economic, financial, security, and cultural exchanges, etc. After all, we are Dutch people of the same clan and ancestor. "

The announcement came as the Dutch ambassador to Belgium, Johan Carr, was interviewed at the embassy.

Immediately, it attracted many viewers.

On February 10, 1862, according to the "New Rotterdam" report, the Governor of Antwerp Province, Calais, stated that Antwerp Province and the Netherlands are very similar in many respects. It is very important that the two places never forget that we belong to the same nation and help each other in times of hardship.

Calais pointed out that it is an honor for Limburg to become the most important capital investment location of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the past period of time. He is also very happy with the cooperation between the two places. He hopes to continue to strengthen cooperation in the future, and welcomes more two places in the future In the end, he still expressed the hope that we can carry out creative cooperation in the future under the bleak future of Belgium!

A delegation of 20 from Antwerp Province, led by senior officials of Antwerp Province Calais and Limburg Province senior officials, arrived in Amsterdam on the 11th. During this sensitive period, they received the attention of international journalists and embassies of various countries throughout the process. The visit ended on February 13, 1862.

However, during their visit to the Netherlands, the two ministers held a joint meeting on economic and financial cooperation with Dutch Minister of Finance Jane von Capello and Minister of Industry Wem Kotter.

After the meeting, when the two of Calais were asked whether the trip was under pressure from the Belgian royal family and Prime Minister Aubon, Motz, a senior official of Limburg Province, said that the purpose of the visit was to deepen economic and trade cooperation.

As for political cooperation, the Netherlands and the two provinces depend on each other, and they are the original territory of the Netherlands, so why are you panning the country? When the Netherlands walks in, no one will doubt the relationship between the Netherlands and me. Therefore, no one can stop our cooperation with the Netherlands, including our current His Majesty Leopold I of Belgium, nor can we cut off our connection.

No one can stop our economic cooperation and national blood ties. The Netherlands is our largest investment partner and largest trading partner in the seven northern Dutch provinces, and I work with partners who share the same hobby, even more so.

Motz seemed to imply something in his words: "And this guy hopes that our relationship with the Netherlands will be more sublimated and enter a higher level in the future. Any option can be carried out."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands welcomed this, and based on this, the seven northern Belgian provinces launched a campaign and launched a big propaganda. You must know that Dutch newspapers are very popular in Belgium, just like the French newspapers in the south.

That's okay, it's obviously provoking the authority of the Belgian cabinet.

So Belgian Foreign Minister Rafi Hall publicly expressed his dissatisfaction, but the object of his dissatisfaction was not directed at the two chief ministers in China, but at the Kingdom of the Netherlands who met them.

The foreign minister publicly warned the Netherlands that Belgium may reconsider the Netherlands-Belgium relationship between Belgium and the Netherlands if the Netherlands takes further steps to intervene in Belgian domestic issues.

According to The Times, the foreign minister started an appointment with the Dutch ambassador to Belgium, Johan Carr, on the 7th of this month.

According to people familiar with the matter, who did not want to be named, the talks took place in a tense atmosphere.

Rafi Hall asked the Netherlands to clarify its official position in the northern Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, and to make it clear that it would no longer participate in the opposition to Belgian state governance to create contradictions.

However, according to people familiar with the matter, John Carr, the Dutch ambassador to Belgium at the time, said, "The Netherlands is a country with free speech. Anyone in the country can express their personal views regardless of their status. The Dutch government has no right to interfere with personal views and ideas, because This is related to the idea of ​​our new king, His Majesty William IV, so he just published it in his personal capacity and we have no way to control it."

But in the end, the Belgian foreign minister was dissatisfied and very tough. According to reports, Rafi Hall told John Carr that if the Netherlands continued to go down this road, Belgium would have to reconsider how to deal with the Belgian Bilateral relations, and how Belgium will treat the Netherlands in the future, such as border control issues between the two countries, and restrictions on exchanges including trade between the two countries.

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According to The Times, after the two met, Dutch Foreign Minister Speight Von said at a press conference on February 9, 1862 that the Netherlands could not explain the illegality of personal speech under Dutch law because it The position on behalf of the Netherlands as a society under the rule of law has been shaken. Therefore, Belgium's request is rude and illegal, and the Netherlands cannot do it.

As the answer from Dutch Foreign Minister Heisbert Feng came out, the Belgian cabinet was shocked, and even Prime Minister Billy Obonle mentioned at a press conference, "The situation surrounding the unfriendly actions of the Netherlands in Belgium , UU reading www.uukanshu.com It is necessary for the Netherlands to understand that there is an idea in Belgium, that is, Belgium does not accept the ambitions of the Netherlands to interfere in Belgium."

Regarding the Prime Minister's remarks, the Dutch foreign minister responded by telegram on the same day in response to an inquiry from The Times. Just saying it's inconvenient to comment!

But he stressed that "I look forward to the Belgian issue. It should be resolved peacefully through dialogue, as well as between Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. We should also sit down and negotiate calmly and not be rude. This is the consistent position of the Netherlands."

However, according to The Times, according to people familiar with the matter, Belgium asked the Netherlands not to publish the talks between the two countries, but the Netherlands gave it to the public, which frustrated the Belgian Foreign Ministry, and the Belgian Foreign Ministry told the Netherlands The idea that Belgium is considering canceling part of the working dialogue between Belgium and the Netherlands was conveyed. At the same time, Belgium decided to suspend the customs union negotiations with the Netherlands.

Therefore, it was under such circumstances that Antwerp and Limburg ignored the reminder of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and directly chose to go against the cabinet's order not to visit the Netherlands, which caused a burst of surprise in the Belgian cabinet, even Belgium and other countries. .

The situation in Belgium has reached such a point?

If the cabinet minister can't be the local government, where is the authority of Belgium?

Almost all countries looked at Belgium with sarcasm. Think about how this country's cabinet and even Leopold I would save face and attack the Netherlands, but just when everyone was looking forward to it.

However, someone stood up to disrupt the situation. His appearance made the situation in Europe caused by Belgium suddenly become confusing.