Treaty of Budapestmemorandum of Berlin. As Bulgaria is placed under more
favourable conditions for the exercise of autonomous institu-
tions, they mutually engage to demand for this province in the
conference a larger autonomy, buttressed by substantial guar-
anties.
ARTICLE II. In the case that the negotiations should not
succeed, and should result in a rupture followed by war between
Russia and Turkey, the Imperial and Royal Government for-
mally pledges itself to observe an attitude of benevolent neu-
trality in the presence of the isolated action of Russia, and by its
diplomatic action to paralyze, so far as this lies in its power,
efforts at intervention or collective mediation which might be
attempted by other Powers.
ARTICLE III. If the Government of the Emperor and King is
invited to assist in putting into force the treaty of April 15, 1856,
it will, in the event foreseen by the present convention, refuse its
coöperation, and, without contesting the validity of the said
Treaty, it will proclaim its neutrality. Likewise it will not lend its
active aid to effective action which might be proposed on the
basis of Article VIII of the Treaty of March 30 of that same year.
ARTICLE IV. Considering that the necessity for the Russian
troops of crossing the Danube and the need to protect this
crossing against the Turkish gunboats will oblige the Imperial
Government of Russia to offer temporary hindrances to the
navigation of a river placed under the guaranty of treaties,
which may give rise to protests, the Austro-Hungarian Govern-
ment, as a signatory of these treaties and the one principally
interested in the freedom of the river, will regard this question
as an incident of a temporary nature, inevitable in case of war,
but not affecting the great principles whose maintenance is of
interest to Europe. On its side, the Russian Government for-
mally pledges itself to respect the principles of the freedom of
navigation and of the neutrality of the Danube, and to put itself
into agreement with the Government of His Majesty the
Emperor and King to re-establish them as soon as may be.
ARTICLE V. The Austro-Hungarian Government will lend,
within the limits of the Convention of Geneva, its benevolent
assistance to the organization of temporary Russian ambu-
lances on the Cracow-Lemberg-Czernowitz lines of railroad
(between Granicza and Suczava) with the Woloczysk and Brody
branches, as well as to the movement on the abovementioned
lines of the rolling stock necessary for these ambulances. It will
admit into its civil and military hospitals along the abovemen-
tioned lines Russian sick and wounded, in return for payment
according to the existing Austrian military tariff.
ARTICLE VI. The Austro-Hungarian Government will not
obstruct the commissioners and agents of the Russian Govern-
ment in making in the limits of the Austro-Hungarian States
purchases and contracts for objects indispensable to the Russian
Army, with the exception of articles contraband of war prohib-
ited by international laws. The Government of His Imperial and
Royal Majesty, however, engages in the application and in the
interpretation of these laws to show the broadest good will
towards Russia.
ARTICLE VII. His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, etc., and
Apostolic King of Hungary reserves to himself the choice of the
moment and of the mode of the occupation of Bosnia and of
Herzegovina by his troops. It remains understood that this
measure, without assuming a character of solidarity with the
occupation of Bulgaria by the Russian Army, shall not present,
either in its interpretation by the Government of His Imperial
and Royal Majesty or in its execution, a character of hostility
towards Russia. Likewise the intervention of the Russian Army
in Turkey shall not present, either in its interpretation by the
Imperial Government of Russia or in its execution, a character
of hostility towards Austria-Hungary.
ARTICLE VIII. The High Contracting Parties reciprocally
engage not to extend the radius of their respective military
action: His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, etc., and Apostolic
King of Hungary, to Rumania, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Montene-
gro; and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias to Bosnia,
Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro. Serbia, Montenegro, and
the portion of Herzegovina which separates these two princi-
palities are to form a continuous neutral zone, which the armies
of the two Empires may not cross, and intended to preserve
these latter from all immediate contact. It remains understood,
however, that the Imperial and Royal Government will not
oppose the combined action of Serbian and Montenegrin forces
outside of their own countries with the Russian troops.
ARTICLE IX. The consequences of war and the territorial
modifications which would result from an eventual dissolution
of the Ottoman Empire shall be regulated by a special and
simultaneous convention.
ARTICLE X. The High Contracting Parties mutually engage
to keep secret the stipulations of the present Convention. It
shall be ratified and ratifications thereof shall be exchanged
within the period of four weeks, or sooner if may be.
In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have
signed it and have affixed the seal of their arms.
Done at Budapest, the fifteenth day of the month of January
in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
(L.S.) Andrássy.
(L.S.) Novikow.Additional Convention.
His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, etc., and King of Hungary
on the one part, and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias
on the other, in execution of Article IX of the secret Convention
signed under today’s date, have deemed it in conformity with
the close friendship which binds them and with the urgency of
obviating the possibility of a collision between the interests of
their respective States, to reach an understanding respecting the
consequences of the war, and to conclude for this purpose an
Additional Convention designed to regulate in advance the ter-
ritorial modifications which might result from the war or the
dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. To this end Their said