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13 ROMANIAN-SERBIAN RELATIONS (1859—1866) 219

Serbia likewise maintained diplomatic relations with both Principa-lities, its agent being accredited to the “United” Principalities ⁵⁸.

The union of the two Romanian Lands sanctioned by the Prince Cuza’s proclamation of December 11, 186 1 ⁵⁹ — a State Act founding the Romanian unitary State⁶⁰ — was unreservedly recognized by Serbia, unlike the guaranteeing powers, which only recognized the real union status of the Principalities.⁶¹

The proclamation of the Statutes of May 2, 1864 by Prince Cuza⁶², document which provided the organlzation of the unitary Romanian State, was received in Belgrade with great satisfaction.

On receipt of congratulations of the Serbian prince, the ruling prince of the Umted Principalities sent his thanks by diplomatic chan-nels.⁶³

Concerning the impression madę by the Act of May 2, the Romanian agent in Belgrade reported : “l’impression totale dans les masses et parmi les gens supćrieurs ... c’est 1’admiration pour le gśnie du Prince Alexandre Jean et des fślicitations a Padresse de la Roumanie” ⁸⁴.

The Great Powers faced with this “fait aecompli” subseąuently recognized the unitary Romanian State and its new organization accom-plished by its internal forces by signing the Protocol of June 28, 1864 ⁶⁵ concluded with the United Principalities.

In the diplomatic incident between the United Principalities and Turkey, as a consecpience of the events occurred in Bucharest on August 3/15, 1865 ^6B, Serbia adopted the position of the Romanian State. In answer to the letters sent by Fuad Pasha — through which the latter pointed out the suzerain’s authority, attempting to justify the róle of

⁶¹ See Serbian agent in the United Principalities Romania (i e. Wallachia and Mołdawia) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Principalities, no. 49, May 25, 1859, MAE, Packet no. 167, file no. 17 ; idem, Bucharest, no. 85, June 2, 1859, loc. cit., file no 18; idem, Bucharest, September 3, 1860, loc cit, vol no. 78, sheet 100^r; idem, Bucharest no. 763, December 8, 1860, loc. cit, vol no 207 , idem, Bucharest, December 12, 1863, loc. cit.; idem, Bucharest, December 15, 1860, loc cit., vol no. 277, sheet 25^r.

⁶¹ Official Bulletin of Wallachia, December 11, 1861 , Official Bulletinof Mołdawia, December 12, 1861 , See also Archiwes Diplomatięues, vol II, Pans, 1866, p. 200 — 202.

•° See MAE, Packet no. 207, file 2 ; Packet no 246, file no 8 ; Library of the Academy, MS Section, Cuza Archiwes, vol. I, sheet 331^r, vol. no. XXXXVII, sheet 324^r

⁸¹ As regards the contents of the powers’ agreement see Firman of December 4, 1861, Archiwes Diplomatiąues, vol. II, Pans, 1866, p 200 — 202.

«2 y M Koguliuccanu, Acte rclatiwe la 2 mai 1864 (Documents relating to May 2, 1864), Bucharest, 1894, pp. 14 — 16 ; Archiwes Diplomatiąues, vol II, Pans, 1866, p. 224 — 227.

•³ See Ruling Prince of the United Principalities to the Serbian ruling Prince, Bucharest, 1864, Library of the Academy, MS Section, Cuza Archiwes, vol. no. XIV, sheet 523^r.

¹⁴ See United Principalities⁹ Agency m Belgrade to Cuza⁹s Gabinet, June 15, 1864, in “Agency...”, annex no 21, pp 29 — 30

¹⁸ See p. 173 , supra.

⁴⁰ See A D Xenopol, Domnia lui Cuza Vodd (Cuza’s reign), vol. II, Jassy, 1903, pp. 32 38