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15 ROMANIAN-SERBIAN RELATIONS (1859—1866) 221

The diplomatic aid tendered by the Prineipalities and Serbia to each other with regard to the problem of their adhesion to the Paris Telegraph Convention, of May 17,1865, may also be mentioned as a further example.

In this respect T. Callimaki reported : “Le gouyernement serbe dćsire suivre la meme voie que le gouyernement roumain et agir a peu pres pareil-lement” ⁸⁰. Ignoring Turkey’s opposition whieh eonsidered the relations between suzerain and vassal as inconsistent with the latter’s right of concluding international convention — a right eonfined to sovereign States only ⁸¹ — the Prineipalities and Serbia agam proved on this oc-easion their independent diplomatic position.⁸²

Conclusions. From this bnef survey the following eonelusions can be drawn relating to the main features of the relations between United Prineipalities and Serbia during the above mentioned period : a) Eo-manian and Serbian relations are characterized by their steady deve-lopment, aiming at a common diplomatic action against the foreign — Ottoman and Hapsburgian rule — m order to obtain their fuli State sove-reignty ; b) The Eomaman-Serbian relations are an integral part of a wider diplomatic action, tending at developing closer relations with other countries of South-Eastern Europę that had already gained their inde-pendence as well as with nations that were at the time fighting to set up a national sovereign State; e) For this purpose the diplomatic organs of the United Prineipalities and Serbia underwent ehanges to adapt these agencies to their major diplomatic function of ensuring a consistent mu-tual diplomatic support; d) The Eomaman-Serbian diplomatic activity appeared in their relationship with the Great Powers as diplomatic relations of two sovereign countries, carried on in accordance with the rules of modern European international law; e) Eomania and Serbia, sovereign States, continued to maintain relations of good neighbourhood on equal footing with all countries in South-Eastern Europę — including Turkey — as well as with all other countries with which they had diplomatic relations.

¹⁰ Sce United Prineipalities' agent in Belgrade to Cuza's Cabinet, Belgrade, March 11, 1865, in “Agency .”, annex no. 30, p 48.

•i Sec MAE, vol. no. 296, sheet 345^r-346^r

¹² The United Prineipalities presented its adhesion through I Alecsandn, Romaman agent in Pans, and Serbia sent I. Magasmovitsh, the President of the Senat, for this purpose to the French Capital. On this occasion the Serbian delegate lent Romania a substantial diplo-matic support in its campaign against the incorporation of the Romaman State in the Austnan Empire.