The chief aim of those powers, according to Andrassy, is the partition
of Austria-Hungary, on the ground that a lasting peace can be
assured only by giving autonomy on a democratic basis to the various
nationalities composing the Dual Monarchy. "Our present need is thus,"
he added, "an alliance that will protect us against these dangers of
the future as it has protected us in the past." The Hungarian statesman
considers it possible also that in course of time the old danger
may revive in a new form, for the idea of a union of all Slavs in a
Socialist Republican Confederation is the old program of most Russian
revolutionaries and agitators. For this reason, too, he contends,
the alliance in its new form is imperatively necessary, though the
immediate danger has to be met first.
"It is only by holding together those forces which have saved our two
empires now," he asserted, "that we can protect ourselves against
the future danger that menaces us in the form of a fresh attempt on
the part of our adversaries to attain what they are this time unable to
attain." The world is today divided into two parts, Count Julius
observes, and he declares that it would be illusion and fanaticism to
believe that things will be otherwise in the near future. He wishes to
make it clear that the Central Powers are not responsible for this, and
maintains that the new Dual Alliance is formed to insure that another
already existing alliance shall not imperil "our existence and our
future." He wishes also to point out most emphatically that the new
Dual Alliance, like the old one, is purely defensive.
He believes that when this war is over no nation will be inclined to
pursue an aggressive foreign policy, but he, nevertheless, maintains
that guarantees must be given that neither of the contracting parties
shall be involved in any plans of conquest and hegemony cherished by
the other. He insists, furthermore, that the peace concluded with their
defeated enemies by the victorious allied Central Powers must manifest
clearly that it is no obstacle to the development of an international
law which would prevent the waging of war as much as possible, and
would settle the armament question on an international basis, and also
that this alliance does not wish to continue to fight after peace has
been concluded, but will pursue a peaceable policy in every respect;
that it does not wish to be exclusive, but is desirous of effecting a
friendly rapprochement with the countries today opposed to it.
Finally, he expressed the opinion that the interest of the Dual
Alliance requires that "our relationship also with Bulgaria and with
Turkey shall be made stable and shall be strengthened."