Vol 2 Chapter 542: , Peace talks (two)

On the coast of Le Havre, on a high ground facing the estuary of the Seine, there is a small manor. It is said that this manor originally belonged to a certain nobleman’s private property. When he was bored, he often visited here , Watching the various sailboats entering and exiting the Seine, so he named the manor "Wangfan Manor".
During the Great Revolution, the great aristocrat naturally fled abroad, and his manor was naturally confiscated by the revolutionary government. This manor actually didn't produce much, it was just a leisure place for the nobles, but it was in a good location. As an observation post, it could monitor the Seine estuary, so it became a post of the French army. Later, the situation stabilized, and it became the country house of Talleyrand, the upstart Foreign Minister of the Republic.
Early this morning, several four-wheeled carriages came to the manor and stopped at the door of the main building. An old man in his sixties and a group of young people got off the carriage and saw the owner of the manor, Talleyrand. The minister has greeted him from the door.
"Simeone, welcome you to my villa." Talleyrand, who also had white temples, smiled and walked over limpingly, and stretched out a hand to the old man very friendly.
The two hands were held together, and the faces of both people were full of smiles, as if they were really good friends.
The two held hands, just like a young couple, and walked in with a smile.
Talleyrand personally led them into the small living room. Everyone sat down on the sofa and a waiter brought tea.
Generally speaking, French people in this era use coffee more when they entertain guests, but this time the waiter brought black tea.
Tea drinking was once popular in France, but since the Seven Years’ War, France lost a series of colonies in the Far East. The tea trade was basically monopolized by the British, while the French colonies in Africa and Haiti were rich in coffee. Therefore, French consumption habits have turned to coffee. Before that, Talleyrand also served them, but they also invited them to drink coffee. This time black tea was suddenly displayed. Of course, it can be said that the French are showing the host’s hospitality, but are there other things? , More meaning?
British representative Simone picked up his teacup and took a sip. This is black tea from Darjeeling, India, with a unique fragrance of grapes. Since Britain fell into a blockade, even the British aristocracy can hardly drink such authentic Darjeeling black tea.
"Oh, the war is so long that I haven't had such a good Darjeeling black tea for a while." Simeone put down the cup and exclaimed, "My friend, I think it's time to end this meaningless. The war is over."
"I also agree with this. The war is not a happy thing for both of us. It has affected a lot of business. And the war is too expensive. You see, we have commissioned the Bank of Rome to issue the third time. War bonds. If this continues, sooner or later, our government spending will be in deficit. Maybe we have to suspend the annual increase in subsidies for veterans. Also, plans for the Palace of Culture and the Art Gallery are also affected. Impact, this directly affects people’s satisfaction with life and reduces their smiling faces. This is really too bad.
Talleyrand frowned and said.
Simeone heard that Talleyrand was showing off nakedly, that the third war bond was issued, and Britain didn't know how many times it had issued it. There is also the phrase "our government spending will be in deficit sooner or later", which is even more flaunting. What he meant is that the French government has not yet had a fiscal deficit! This financial advantage is tantamount to Hongguoguo's demonstration to the British.
What is the "annual increase in veterans allowance", what is the "Cultural Palace" and "Art Gallery", which are not all showing off. For the British, the war that has exhausted their national power, for the French, Even the impact on their lives is limited.
However, no matter how the French show off, this is also the right of the victor. At least, they have agreed to this important point that everyone needs peace.
"I don't know what your country thinks about peace." Simeone asked.
"The last time we met, I provided a memo to your country on behalf of our country, but you had some opinions or misunderstandings about our memo at that time." Talleyrand said with a sincere smile, "Yi As for the conflicts that we did not want to see later. So, we carefully studied the memo we sent to you last time, and we found that there are indeed many inadequacy in it, no wonder it will cause you Misunderstanding. So, we revised the last memo. You can take a look first, and then see if we can use this new memo as a basis to bring peace to our age."
A young assistant of Talleyrand handed a document to Simeone.
Simeone's face is not very good. In his opinion, Talleyrand's "modification" must have added more and more demanding content. Although before coming, both the crown prince and the prime minister, who assumed the power of the king, asked him to hold back, to achieve peace as much as possible, and to "measure the material resources of the British and win the favor of France." Moreover, the Prime Minister also stated that the French have always been greedy. Today, their conditions may be even more unacceptable. However, no matter what the other party asks, do not refuse it immediately. Hold it back, know that the kingdom is close. It collapsed and the war could no longer continue.
Therefore, he reached out and took the memo.
"The content is a bit too much and a bit complicated." Talleyrand laughed, "You can watch it slowly, you can discuss it with other people, or even send someone back to discuss it with the country. However, the first ruling you hope that we It is best to complete the negotiation within a week."
"So anxious?" Simeone's face became worse. "Our two countries have sincerity for peace. Peace is already inevitable. Why are you so anxious?"
"Because peace has not yet arrived, and the dividends of peace have not arrived, how can we not worry?" Talleyrand said, "Moreover, as far as we know some information, if we cannot reach a peace agreement as soon as possible, then your country may Some turbulence has occurred. And we are worried that such turbulence will bring trouble to peace."
Simeone opened the thick memo and looked at it. We need to take a closer look. Could you give us a separate room? "
"It's easy, ah, Bou Saiang, you take my friends to my little study." Talleyrand turned his head and said to his assistant.
Simone and the others followed Bou Saiang to the small study, and they gathered together to study the new memo proposed by the French. In order to save time as much as possible, each of them is responsible for a chapter. Moreover, this memo is very similar in structure to the previous memo, but it is easy for everyone to compare and read.
Soon several people finished their assigned part.
"Your Excellency, what I have seen is not much different from the last memo." A young man said first.
This sentence made Simone suddenly feel a lot easier.
"It's just a difference in some wording. Well, the current memo emphasizes the reciprocity of the responsibilities and obligations of both parties in the wording. It seems that it is more...more equal than before, but the essence is not too much. Great changes." The young man added.
"Bring it to me?" Simeone quickly said.
Everyone knows that this time, apart from the negotiations, what is to be signed is a traitorous treaty that humiliates the country. Anyone who signs this treaty will be nailed to the pillar of shame in history. Therefore, the original Minister of Foreign Affairs suddenly resigned due to physical reasons, and Simeone, who was originally a special envoy who was only engaged in some secret contacts, was suddenly promoted to Minister of Foreign Affairs by leapfrogging. In fact, it was necessary to let him take the blame.
It's like later generations. Chang Kaishen sent Foreign Minister Song Ziwen to talk to Mao Xiong about the Red Army dispatching troops to the northeast. He gave all the conditions, including the rights of the Manchurian Railway, to Mao Xiong, including the lease of Luda to Mao Xiong for 50 years, including Allowing Outer Mongolia to become independent through "democratic means" was negotiated. When it was time to sign, Song Ziwen became ill. Then Wang Shijie was replaced as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He immediately went to Moscow to replace Song Ziwen and signed a sale of Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance." Now, Simeone's role is that of Wang Shijie.
Although he was helpless, Simeone had to sign a traitorous treaty, but if the treaty really looks a lot better in words, that would be great.
"Bring it to me quickly?" Simeone said quickly.
So the young man handed over the chapter he had read and the corresponding chapter in the last memo.
Simeone looked at it quickly.
Indeed, the current provisions are indeed much more "equality" in text. For example, this article concerns the full opening of the domestic market by the British to the French. In the previous memorandum, it was described as follows:
The UK must unconditionally open its domestic market to France and its allies. Individuals, companies and their products in France and its allies must obtain and The British people and British companies have a fully equal and non-discriminatory status. France and its allies will form a committee to monitor the implementation of this clause and submit relevant evaluation reports to the governments of France and its allies."
You see, this is a clause that requires Britain to unilaterally open the market, thereby turning Britain into a colony of France and destroying Britain.
But now, this clause has become like this:
"The French Republic and the United Kingdom both realize that equal economic exchanges are the most reliable guarantee for world peace. In order to ensure world peace and promote the well-being of the two peoples, the two governments have made the following commitments on trade issues: And the governments of the countries that will join the peace agreement in the future have pledged to each other to fully open the market to each other. Both parties are not allowed to restrict the sales of each other’s goods in their own markets, including tariffs, quotas and other discriminatory measures, and both promise to give each other’s citizens and enterprises Complete non-discriminatory national treatment.
In order to ensure the implementation of this clause, the two parties will form a joint free trade committee on an equal footing to regulate and arbitrate the contradictions arising from the implementation of this clause. Both governments promise to respect the mediation and arbitration of this committee. When other countries join in the future, they will also join this committee, fulfilling their obligations and enjoying their rights. "
Look at the second statement, is it more equal than the first one? The taste of losing power and humiliating the country is much less? However, in many cases, the equality in the provisions itself is the greatest inequality.
Just as Joseph said after the publication of the "Napoleonic Code": "The law, with its solemn equality, prohibits the poor from sleeping under the bridge, begging and stealing bread along the street." If you do not consider the strength and strength of the contracting parties. Status, the so-called "equality" clause, is just a fig leaf for winner-takes-all.
Imagine that the British economy has collapsed, and a large number of companies have closed down or are on the verge of bankruptcy because of losses. In this case, how can they compete on the so-called "level competition" with French companies? Letting them "play on an equal footing" is like letting the men's heavyweight boxer and the women's featherweight boxer "fairly play" on the same stage. UU Reading www.uukanshu.com "fair competition" will only bring about the result of "everything that is available, he will be doubled to make him redundant; if there is no, even his own will be taken over."
Therefore, such an equal and mutually open market is actually not really different from the unilateral opening of the market in the United Kingdom.
In the history of later generations, Chang Kaishen and Amei once signed a treaty called "Vulture Friendship, Trade and Navigation Treaty", which was fairly "equal" in terms of terms. However, this treaty was criticized by people of insight at the time as "an unprecedented traitorous treaty in the history of the country that grows flowers." This is not without reason. After the signing of the treaty, the trivial national industry of the flower-growing country was quickly destroyed, so that "decent people" like national capitalists were forced to stand on the other side of Chang Kaishen.
Of course, there is also a problem with this type of treaty, that is, if the balance of power changes, the advantages and disadvantages will also change. For example, if today, A-mei, do you think any other chief dared to sign a "Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation" with the "Vulture Friendship, Commerce and Navigation Treaty" with the Chitu country, then it will definitely happen. The price of mental illness is for the story of killing the leader.
For the UK, this clause is no different from the clause in the previous memorandum. However, for Simeone, such a clause is almost a life-saving straw.