Chapter 847: Anglo-French Agreement

Due to some reasons, a large number of users suddenly cannot open the web page to visit this site today. Please book friends to remember the domain name EbookFREE.me (the first letter of literature + org dot com, EbookFREE.me) to find the way home!
At the British Embassy in Paris, British Foreign Secretary George and Minister Roberto Fernandes sat side by side, and the atmosphere inside was very depressed.
As can be seen from their faces, the welcome banquet just concluded was not so pleasant.
Not only did Napoleon IV be absent himself, he also temporarily notified the convening of a government meeting during the banquet, and the French high-level collective left the scene.
All the powerful figures left, and only a few of the foreign ministry staff and a bunch of nobles with empty titles were the only ones who received Sir George.
The most basic principle of reciprocal reception has been abandoned. This is not just a matter of getting off Mawei, it is completely ignoring George, and has not given the British Empire any face.
Diplomatically ignored, this kind of thing is not surprising in diplomacy. The relationship between Britain and France is already bad, and even more rude things have happened, and what worries George is the task.
"My Excellency Minister, you are looking forward to being in Paris and knowing the French government better. What do you think it will cost to convince the French to support us?"
George was in a hurry to visit Paris this time. Before he was sure what France wanted, he could only adapt to the actual situation.
After a little thought, Roberto Fernandez said: "Sir, the French have a big appetite, and I am afraid that some benefits cannot satisfy them.
If the situation is not particularly critical, I suggest that the French government should be stabilized, and it will cost too much to win over them.
In fact, now the French government is busy sorting out the interior, and in a short time the French government is also unable to blend in international affairs. "
Taking advantage of the fire is a natural state. Now that Britain needs France, the French government will naturally not be polite.
George was unimpressed: "What do the French want most now?"
In diplomatic activities, even if it is rhetoric, it is not profitable.
George did not think that the French could be persuaded by flickering. Now, in order to win over the French government, he must show tangible benefits.
Minister Roberto Fernandez replied: "The French's strategic goals have hardly changed. They have always aimed at European hegemony. After the Revolution, they have converged a little, and now there is a trend of resurgence.
French radical groups want to expand into Central Europe and seize European hegemony; capitalists want to seize Belgium and the Rhineland region to solve the cost of industrial raw materials.
These interest demands were opposed by domestic noble conservatives, who feared that marching into China and Europe would trigger a new war against France.
It is these conservatives who are currently in power. They oppose expansion in the European continent, advocate relaxation of relations with European countries, and use colonial development to solve the problem of insufficient domestic industrial raw materials.
Recently, the French government has been very lively. After Napoleon IV finished his trip to Algeria, he returned to Paris and ordered the removal of a batch of local bureaucrats.
In order to vacate the official hat, the major factions within the French government are fighting for life and death, and even high officials directly fight.
Now Napoleon IV is busy balancing the forces of all parties, unless we can come up with conditions that can not be refused by various interest groups in France, otherwise the French will not be able to win over in the short term. "
By the way, it was known in advance that the internal situation in France was very complicated, and George could not imagine that the French government was in chaos.
When the political struggle is fierce, there is no reason to ask. "If you support, I will oppose" and vice versa.
Everyone opposes in order to oppose it, maybe it will not be a thing, but it is still enough to damage the other party.
With a little trivial matter, everyone can quarrel endlessly, not to mention the major international station team?
If he really did ideological work one by one, George had no doubt that he would retire before he could persuade the gang.
"Belgium and the German Confederation are our potential allies. Supporting the French expansion to Central Europe means giving up these allies.
Moreover, depending on the current strength of the French, expansion to Central Europe at this time may not necessarily succeed.
With Austria's appeal, it is possible to form a new anti-French alliance. Other countries cannot be sure. The direct victims of Belgium and the German Federation will definitely pass by in the first place.
No matter who wins in the end, there will be a dominant situation in Europe, and we will be passive. "
There is no way to support the French expansion to Central Europe. Not only will they have to lose their international reputation, but they will also have to give up their fulcrum in Central Europe. It will be difficult for them to intervene in European affairs in the future.
If this is all, it is not impossible to discuss. Anyway, the international reputation of the British is not good anymore, and it will not fall anywhere.
The key is that after losing the backstage, Belgium and the German Federation will definitely drag Austria into the water, and finally become France vs. the anti-French alliance led by Austria.
Anglo-Russian check each other, the victory of the French-Austrian War becomes uncontrollable.
Unless it is a loss of both sides, the winner is the continental hegemon, and is still hostile to Britain.
Minister Roberto Fernandez nodded: "Of course, it is our national policy to maintain the European parity.
If we cannot start from the strategy, then we can only start from the economy, but the sequelae will be more serious.
For example: unilaterally abolish high tariffs against the French. "
Upon hearing this proposal, George's face collapsed. Not only is the sequelae more serious, but it is clearly life-threatening.
The high tariffs against France were retaliatory actions against the French out of the free trade system.
Moreover, the tariffs between Britain and France are now almost equal. British unilateral abolition means that French goods can enter and leave the British market freely; while British goods have to enter the French market, they have to pay high tariffs.
Under such conditions, if George dares to agree, domestic capitalists have to tear him apart.
"My Excellency, this joke is not funny at all. If unilateral tariffs are waived, do you know what that means?"
Minister Roberto Fernandez nodded: "Of course, that means Britain has become a French economic colony.
Therefore, from the beginning, I objected to attracting the French at this time. Now we have too few chips in hand, and the French have too much appetite, so it is impossible for us to talk together.
In fact, we all know that the possibility of Austria directly intervening in Asia is almost zero, with a Persian empire in between.
It doesn't matter if there is any French containment. As long as the French do n’t have problems, even if they do n’t do anything, the Austrian government must guard against it.
The top priority is to find a way to end the arms race instead of wasting time for an impossible goal. "
The risks and benefits are directly proportional, and let the French take action to contain Austria. No one can guarantee that they will get rid of the guns and detonate the war between the two countries.
How can the French government be willing to take risks if it doesn't even pay enough for playing?
After a pause, George said slowly: "What if we allied with the French?
We cannot support the French expansion to Central Europe, but this does not mean that we cannot acquiesce in the French expansion to Central Europe.
Anyway, Austria must stand against it, and the French will not send troops without presumptuous assurance.
Britain needs time. As long as we have solved the problem of Central Asia, whether or not this covenant will be fulfilled in the end, the initiative is still in our hands. "
After pondering for a while, Roberto Fernandes said cautiously: "Sir, is this the final decision in China?
You know, after doing so, the results of our many years of business in France will be destroyed. "
Pro-British faction does not mean unconditional pro-British faction. Most of the pro-British faction will still focus on their own national interests.
The short francs of the previous years had offended the French fiercely, resulting in a sharp reduction in the number of pro-British figures in the French government.
Now for another wave, it is estimated that even the pro-British group in the French government will disappear, and all that remains is naked hatred.
In the eyes of most people, the traitor is even more abominable than the enemy. Pro-British factions and anti-British factions are actually only separated by a line.
George was unimpressed: "This is the price that must be paid. If possible, I am not willing to be so extreme, but there is no way for the benefit of Britain.
Isn't our painstaking business just for this day?
From now on, the embassy will mobilize all of our connections to facilitate this alliance. "
...
If you like the Holy Roman Empire, please collect it: (EbookFREE.me) The literature update of the Holy Roman Empire is fastest.