From World War I Document Archive
No. 1
From: M. Yov. M. Yovanovitch, Minister at Vienna,
To: M. N. Pashitch, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. Vienna, June 16/29, 1914.
(Telegraphic.)
The Vienna Press asserts that the magisterial enquiry has already shown that the Serajevo outrage was prepared at Belgrade; further, that the whole conspiracy in its wider issues was organised at Belgrade among youth inspired with the Great Serbian idea, and that the Belgrade Press is exciting public opinion by publishing articles about the intolerable conditions prevailing in Bosnia. Press articles of this kind, according to the Vienna Press, are exercising a strong influence, as Serbian newspapers are being smuggled in large quantities into Bosnia.
No. 2
From: Yov. M. Yovanovitch, Minister at Vienna
To: M. N. Pashitch, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. Vienna, June 17/30, 1914.
(Telegraphic.)
The tendency at Vienna to represent, in the eyes of Europe, the outrage committed upon the Austro-Hungarian Crown Prince as the act of a conspiracy engineered in Serbia is becoming more and more apparent. The idea is to use this as a political weapon against us. The greatest attention ought, therefore, to be paid to the tone adopted by our press in its articles on the Serajevo outrage.
No. 3
From: Dr. M. Yovanovitch, Chargé d’Affaires at Berlin
To: M. N. Pashitch, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. Berlin, June 17/30,1914.
(Telegraphic.)
The Berlin Press, in publishing articles based on information from Vienna and Budapest, in which the Serajevo outrage is connected with Serbia, is misleading German public opinion.
No. 4
From: Dr. M. Yovanovitch, Chargé d’Affaires at Berlin
To: M. N. Pashitch, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. Berlin, June 17/30, 1914.
(Telegraphic.)
The hostility of public opinion in Germany towards us is growing. and is being fostered by false reports coming from Vienna and Budapest. Such reports are being diligently spread in spite of the contradictions issued by some newspapers and news agencies.
No. 5
From: M. Yov. M. Yovanovitch, Minister at Vienna
To: M. N. Pashitch, the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. Vienna, June 17/30, 1914.
Sir, As Count Berchtold was not able to receive me when I called, I spoke to the Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs concerning the Serajevo outrage. In the course of our conversation I adopted the following line of argument:–
“The Royal Serbian Government condemn most energetically the Serajevo outrage and on their part will certainly most loyally do everything to prove that they will not tolerate within their territory the fostering of any agitation or illegal proceedings calculated to disturb our already delicate relations with Austria-Hungary. I am of opinion that the Government are prepared also to submit to trial any persons implicated in the plot, in the event of its being proved that there are any in Serbia. The Royal Serbian Government, not withstanding all the obstacles hitherto placed in their way by Austro-Hungarian diplomacy (creation of an independent Albania, opposition to Serbian access to the Adriatic, demand for revision of the Treaty of Bucharest, the September ultimatum, &c.) remained loyal in their desire to establish a sound basis for our good neighbourly relations. You know that in this direction something has been done and achieved. Serbia intends to continue to work for this object, convinced that it s practicable and ought to be continued. The Serajevo outrage ought not to and cannot stultify this work.”
Baron Macchio has taken note of the above and promised to communicate to Count Berchtold all that I said to him.
On the same day I communicated to the French and Russian Ambassadors the substance of this conversation.
I have, &c.
