The following official statement regarding the matter was issued the
same day at Vienna by the Imperial Government:
On instructions from the Foreign Minister Count Revertata,
Counselor of the Legation in Switzerland, repeatedly had
discussions in Switzerland with a confidential agent of M.
Clemenceau, Count Armand, attached to the French War Ministry,
who was sent to Switzerland to interview Count Revertata. As a
result of the interview of these two gentlemen in Freiburg,
Switzerland, on Feb. 2, the question was discussed whether and
on what basis a discussion concerning the bringing about of a
general peace would be possible between the Foreign Ministers of
Austria-Hungary and France, or between official representatives
of these Ministers.
Thereupon Count Revertata, after obtaining instructions from the
Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, toward the close of February
declared on behalf of the Minister to Count Armand, for
communication to M. Clemenceau, that Count Czernin was prepared
for a discussion with a representative of France, and regarded
it as possible to hold a conversation with the prospect of
success as soon as France renounced its plan for the conquest of
Alsace-Lorraine.
Count Revertata received a reply in the name of M. Clemenceau to
the effect that the latter was not in a position to accept the
proposed renunciation by France of this disannexation, so that a
meeting of the representatives at that time would, in the view
of both parties, be useless.