Hulstrian Foreign Minister Reinhard Gladbacher:
Well, I have conveyed the words of the Kazulian Consul to the Militärrat in Karlstadt and General Manfried von Lapsburg has sent back the following response, which I will now read out in full:
"Your Imperial Highness Grand Duke Ludwig, Foreign Minister von Bahr, esteemed delegates,
Let me start by saying we were wounded by the enemy but they did not follow up their victory. They gave us the chance to regroup and now there is plenty of fight in us if it is required. However, we meet their latest words with yet another proposal but in the resolute knowledge that we are more than capable of prosecuting further military action, if required.
Currently the Kazulians hold a substantial swathe of our northern territory, which we are now prepared for them to occupy legally under observation from the international community. However, there must be some trade off and that involves the social policies we have outlined.
"We will, as a token of our continued willingness for peace, drop the economic clause - clause 4, which would have seen the Kazulian government pay compensation to offset their occupation of Northern Budenlar and Hulstria. Once again, we make concessions - the Kazulians have not given an inch. However, this is our final proposal and we will not take any further punitive measures on the nose.
"So, as far as we see it, the Kazulians have three choices:
1) Meet us midway: agree to our social policy amendments to the Dorvish Foreign Minister's proposal; troops on both sides stand down, prisoners are exchanged and the occupied territories are administered peacefully for half a century.
2) Maintain the status quo, whereby Kazulia continues to occupy the northern territories without a binding treaty or international co-operation, whilst tens of thousands of our troops face off across the Heinrich Line indefinitely.
3) Kazulia breaks the ceasefire and goes on the offensive to gain further leverage at future peace talks or to try to bring about a regime change. In which case they will come up against the well-defended and reinforced positions on the Heinrich Line. So, even if successful, they will sustain heavy casualties in the assault and subsequent advance, which will not go down well back at home with an election coming up. Furthermore, Operation Human Shield is still very much in place to deter tactical and strategic bombing.
So, whilst we do not want choices two or three to come to pass, we are prepared to go down those routes, if necessary, to preserve what we have. All we ask is the Kazulian government shows willing... for the sake of both of our nations."
General von Lapsburg
Heerführer of Hulstria"