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9 R0MANIAN-SERB1AN RELATIONS (1859—1*66) 215

In their capacity of permanent diplomatic organs, tbese agencies played a significant part in this period of political struggles, contributing consistently and continuously to the accompbshment of the State poliey of tbe United Principabties and of Serbia, ensuring a closer co-operation in finding and adopting Solutions which migbt meet tbe common interests in tbe main problems of tbe international bfe.

3. Political alliances. Tbe United Principabties and Serbia pursued a peaceful international pobcy towards ab tbe otber powers using ab diplomatic cbannels for tbe achievement of tbeir unity and independence. Witb regard to tbis problem tbe United Principabties agent in Belgrade makes tbefobowing remark : “II rśsulte de la dścision prise par le Gouver-nement serbe de marcber a ses grands buts par voies pacifiąues ... & l’exemple de notre Augustę Souverain <Cuza> ⁴⁰

Tbe most effective means of intensifying tbe Romanian-Serbian diplomatic activity in Soutb-Eastern Europę consisted in deyeloping tbeir close cobaboration, aiming at attracting otber States of tbis zonę baving common interests ⁴¹ as web as some of tbe great European powers in support of tbeir pobcy.

An article pubbsbed in tbe Sórbian press inspired by tbe Serbian minister of Foreign Affairs, as recorded by tbe Romanian agent in Belgrade, empbasized verbatim : “Les aspirations prósentes de la Roumanie ne doiyent pas lui faire oubber cebe de l’avenir, qui consistent & ce que des Etats indśpendents yiennent se former et se consobder en Orient. Le passś nous a fait voir que cette consobdation n’est pas possible, si une abiance śtroite ne nous unit pas; notre salut dśpend umquement de 1’identitś de tendances que nous devons avoir, unis que nous sommes par la communautś de rebgion, d’histoire et dbntśrets”. Tben underbning tbe wide-ranging interests of tbe abiance, be goes on stating : “La conso-to the alphabetical order, the consular corps mcluded the Austnan General Consul, the English General Consul, the Italian General Consul, the political agent of the United Prmcipalities, the Prussian General Consul, the Russian General Consul (Cf Almanach dc Parts, Annuairc International diplomatiquc, admimstratif, statistiquc . Pans, 1866, pp. 901—905) It should be mentjoned that even Turkey had recognized the position of the Romanian agent in Belgrade ; the latter reported to the Prince’s Cabinet “Ali Pacha m’a fait une reception splen-dide. Les sentinelles presentaient les armes, la visite me sera rendue” (See United Pnnci-pahtics’ Agency m Belgrade to the Prince^ys Cabinet, Belgrade, December 1864, Library of the Academy, MS Section, Cuza Archwes The situation was confirmed, as follows : “Aujourd’hui Ali Pasha m’a rendu vlSlte^,, (see idem, December 25, 1864, loc cit , sheet 522^r)

³® The Serbian agent in Bucharest was member of the diplomatic corps His name was mentioned in all the protocol documents, in alphabetical order, among the other representa-tives — agents and generał consuls — of the powers accredited to the United Prmcipalities.

⁴⁰    See United Prmcipalities Agency in Belgrade to Pnnce⁹s Cabinet, Belgrade, October 13, 1864, in “Agency...^,, Annex no. 19, p 47

⁴¹    Following this linę a Romanian observer contemporaneous with those agents, remarked that the position of Romania, Serbia and Greece was dependent on the establishment of a “Balance of power in the East” (See T. Callimaki, Echilibrul tn Orient sau Serbia $i Romdma <The Balance of power in the East, or Serbia and Romania), Bucharest, 1865, p 105.