Understanding between France and Russiaan occasion to ask you to be kind enough to accept the renewed
homage of my highest consideration and of my most unalter-
able devotion.
Mohrenhaim.
Letter of M. de Giers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Rus-
sia, to M. de Mohrenheim, Ambassador of Russia at Paris.
Petersburg, August 9/21, 1891.
The situation created in Europe by the open renewal of the
Triple Alliance and the more or less probable adhesion of Great
Britain to the political aims which that alliance pursues, has,
during the recent sojourn here of M. de Laboulaye, prompted
an exchange of ideas between the former Ambassador of France
and myself, tending to define the attitude which, as things now
stand and in the presence of certain eventualities, might best
suit our respective Governments, which, having kept out of any
league, are none the less sincerely desirous of surrounding the
maintenance of peace with the most efficacious guaranties.
It is thus that we have been led to formulate the two points
below:
I. In order to define and consecrate the cordial understand-
ing which unites them, and desirous of contributing in
common agreement to the maintenance of the peace
which forms the object of their sincerest aspirations, the
two Governments declare that they will take counsel
together upon every question of a nature to jeopardize
the general peace;
- In case that peace should be actually in danger, and espe-
cially if one of the two parties should be threatened with
an aggression, the two parties undertake to reach an
understanding on the measures whose immediate and
simultaneous adoption would be imposed upon the two
Governments by the realization of this eventuality.
Having submitted to the Emperor the fact of this exchange
of ideas as well as the text of the conclusions resulting there-
from, I have the honor to inform you today that His Majesty has
deigned to approve completely these principles of agreement,
and would view with favor their adoption by the two Govern-
ments.
In informing you of these Sovereign dispositions, I beg that
you be kind enough to bring to the knowledge of the French
Government and to communicate to me the decisions which it
may take on its side.
Giers.
M. Ribot, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, to M. de
Mohrenheim, Russian Ambassador at Paris, in reply to
the preceding.
Paris, August 27, 1891.
You have been kind enough, by order of your Government,
to communicate to me the text of the letter of the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of the Empire, wherein are set forth the special
instructions with which the Emperor Alexander decided to pro-
vide you in pursuance of the last exchange of ideas to which the
general situation of Europe had given rise between M. de Giers
and the Ambassador of the French Republic at St. Petersburg.
Your Excellency was instructed to express at the same time
the hope that the contents of this document, previously con-
certed and formulated in common agreement between the two
Cabinets, would meet with the full assent of the French Govern-
ment.
I hasten to thank Your Excellency for this communication.
The Government of the Republic can only take the same
view as does the Imperial Government of the situation created
in Europe by the conditions under which the renewal of the
Triple Alliance has come to pass, and believes with it that the
moment has arrived to define the attitude which, as things now
stand and in the presence of certain eventualities, might seem
best to the two Governments, equally desirous of assuring the
guaranties for the maintenance of peace which result from the
European balance of power.
I am, therefore, happy to inform Your Excellency that the
Government of the Republic gives its entire adhesion to the two
points which form the subject of the communication of M. de
Giers and which are formulated as follows:
I. In order to define and consecrate the cordial understand-
ing which unites them, and desirous of contributing in
common agreement to the maintenance of the peace
which forms the object of their sincerest aspirations, the
two Governments declare that they will take counsel
together upon every question of a nature to jeopardize
the general peace;- In case that peace should be actually in danger, and espe-
cially if one of the two parties should be threatened with
an aggression, the two parties undertake to reach an
understanding on the measures whose immediate and
simultaneous adoption would be imposed upon the two
Governments by the realization of this eventuality.
I furthermore hold myself at your disposal for the examina-
tion of all questions which, under present political conditions,
make more particular demand upon the attention of the two
Governments.
Conversely, the Imperial Government will doubtless appreci-
ate, as do we, the importance of confiding to special delegates,
who should be designated as soon as possible, the practical
study of measures designed to meet the eventualities foreseen
by the second point of the agreement.
In begging you to bring the reply of the French Government
to the knowledge of the Government of His Majesty, I wish to
emphasize how much I cherish the opportunity to participate
in the consecration of an understanding which has been the
constant object of our common efforts.
Ribot.