Page:Paul Samuel Reinsch - Secret Diplomacy, How Far Can It Be Eliminated? - 1922.djvu/127



ister, on April 29, 1913, reported by the latter as follows :

"Again Sazonov told me that we must work for the future because we would acquire a great deal of terri- tory from Austria. I replied that we would gladly give Bulgaria Monastir (Bitollia) if we could acquire Bosnia and other territory of Austria."

A Belgian diplomat, in a report written from Berlin in 1913, says that notwithstanding the great Russian influence in the Balkans, Russian diplomacy had vacillated a great deal there since the beginning of the Balkan war; he goes on to say: "In a moment of confidence the French am- bassador spoke particularly concerning the influ- ence which M. Isvolsky has maintained, who has a personal desire of revenge against Austria-Hun- gary, and takes great pains to spoil the game whenever there is any appearance of Austrian success. " (Baron Bey ens to the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, March 18, 1913.)

When the great crisis came on, the diplomacy of Russia worked in close connection with the militarists. The irreconcilable stubbornness of Count Berchtold greatly strengthened the hands of the militarists, both in Petersburg and Berlin, and virtually put the decision in their hands. The Russians did their part to bring on