My Italian

"Hello, Your Excellency Marco."

"Hello, Your Excellency Bakona."

In the Parliamentary Palace in Rome, negotiators from Italy and the Netherlands, who were involved in the dispute over Borneo, finally sat down together.

In order to reduce the influence of Italy and the Netherlands in this negotiation, they are both headed by the foreign minister to form a delegation.

However, although the level has been lowered, the importance of both parties is clear.

No, after the two sides were seated, Marko, the Dutch foreign minister, said. "Our country is very indignant about the disputes between our two countries in Borneo. However, in order to maintain the friendship between our two countries, our country is willing to make concessions, and our country is willing to hand over the Borneo colonies to you. However, our country has previously invested a lot of money in infrastructure construction in Borneo, so based on the principle of who uses who pays, the cost should also be paid by your country.”

Marko's remarks are a condition for the Netherlands to make concessions, and it can also be regarded as an explanation for the country. The Netherlands did not transfer the Borneo colony under the pressure of Italy, but this colony has been unable to pay, just as Italy wants it, and it can be exchanged for some funds to improve people's livelihood, which is not ashamed.

Faced with the conditions of the Dutch concession, Bakona, who is in charge of the Italian negotiation, nodded and replied. "This is also reasonable. Your country has invested a lot of money in Borneo, but our country's finances are not very rich, and I hope your country will not talk too much."

Regarding the payment of funds to the Dutch, the Italian government has also discussed before. Paying part of the funds in exchange for the remaining Dutch Borneo territory is also beneficial to solving the problem, and Italy does not mind. Of course, it wouldn't work if the Dutch lion opened his mouth wide, that's why this sentence was added later.

"£3 million, which my country thinks is a very reasonable figure."

As a Dutch negotiator, Marko immediately spoke out what the Dutch wanted.

In the face of the request made by the Dutch representative Marko, even if he knew that this was just a condition for the Dutch to ask for a huge price, it still attracted a burst of laughter from the Italian representative. Three million pounds, which is the cost of two and a half Turin-class ships, just to compensate the Dutch, their face is too much. Besides, Italy is not rich, and spending money here is not worth it at all.

As an Italian negotiator, Bakona was even more outspoken. "Mr. Marko, your country's request is a little confusing."

The subtext is that the Dutch demand is unrealistic.

To be fair, are the Dutch demands reasonable?

In fairness, the Dutch offered £3 million, which is not much at all. Don't look at Borneo in the hands of the Dutch, only about one-third of it is left, but there are still more than 200,000 square kilometers. Although it has not yet been developed, let alone 3 million pounds, 5 million is not expensive.

But is the deal fair?

Italy has prepared so much time and spent a lot of money to force the Dutch to sell the Borneo colony in order to just buy the remaining Borneo in the Dutch hands?

As long as normal people don't think so, don't forget that this piece of colonial Dutch must be sold to Italy, this is a buyer's market.

Of course, some people may argue that it is a big deal for the Dutch to transfer the land to others, such as the French, who have bad relations with Italy, and let the two countries fight over the land.

Those who can say this bad idea must have no diplomatic concept. Not to mention whether the French are willing to take chestnuts for the Dutch, the consequences of Italy's rage alone cannot be tolerated by the Dutch.

To put it horribly, what should Italy do if it can't take care of the foreigners and you can't take care of the rest of the Spice Islands?

Do you also sell these places to other countries?

That would not be the colony of the countries dividing the Netherlands, which is called losing everything.

Bakona, who also understood this truth, stretched out a palm and said. "Our country is willing to pay half a million pounds for this."

Well, the counter-offer is only one more layer, which is considered a broken bone.

After hearing the Italians' counter-offer, the Dutch delegation knew that this negotiation would not be too short.

When the two countries were negotiating for Borneo, as the monarch of Italy, in addition to paying a little attention to the negotiation process, Carlo and the government focused more on another emergency.

The Abyssinians fought the Sudanese on the shores of Lake Tana and won a big victory. In this confrontation, Menelik II, the king of Abyssinia, used to show his enemy's weakness, lured the Sudanese into the hinterland, and even surrendered the old capital of Abyssinia, Gondar.

When the Sudanese thought Abyssinia was weak and became more indulgent, they immediately cut off their back path, and even used the familiar terrain to press in, and suddenly appeared near Gondar, forming a siege of the enemy.

But the Sudanese who were besieged in Gondar discovered that they had been fooled by the Abyssinians. Instead of fighting around Gondar, the enemy's combat effectiveness is more powerful, and there are too many rifles and artillery.

The Sudanese, who knew they were invincible, chose to break through at this time, but it was too late to break through at this time. The Abyssinian Guards who performed the interspersed mission did not live up to the expectations of their king, and stopped them in a place called Qulacya less than 50 kilometers away from Gondar.

The two sides fought for two days, and the Sudanese failed to break through the interception. When Menelik II personally led the main force to arrive, the Sudanese collapsed even more. Out of the 120,000 people, only 40,000 escaped, and the remaining nearly 80,000 people were either killed or captured.

Menelik II not only expelled the Sudanese forces from the range of Lake Tana, but also rushed out of the Ethiopian plateau, occupying Damazin, Sinja, Adalif and other places.

Now as long as he is ruthless, it is not impossible to occupy Khartoum along the Blue Nile. Of course, this is only limited to short-term occupation, and the Abyssinians will not be able to keep it for long before they will be driven back.

The shrewd Menelik II, of course, knew that a short-term occupation was not good for him, so after he got the important place to enter the Sudan, he was even more attracted and waited for the Sudan to make an offer. With more than 60,000 captured hostages in his hands, he did not worry that the Sudanese would not come to ask for peace.

Menelik II has his own mind, and Italy, as the suzerain, can also benefit from it.

No, Carlo summoned military and political officials to discuss the benefits that the Abyssinian victory could bring to him.

"Your Majesty, this Abyssinian victory is too timely."

As a military boss, Marshal Cadorna, Minister of the Army, took the lead in speaking. "This victory will give us the opportunity to go deep into Sudan. Although we cannot do it ourselves, given the attitude of the British, the Abyssinians can. I suggest that they can sell another batch of weapons, implying that they are interested in it. The Sudanese strike, I believe, will be of great interest in expanding on both sides of the fertile Blue Nile."

That's right, how could Marshal Cadorna, the representative of the hawkish military, let go of the opportunity to expand Italy's interests and let the Abyssinians occupy more land, whether it is trading with others or in exchange, they will use it worthy.

Although what Marshal Cadorna said seems reasonable, there are still people who do not agree. I saw Depretis, the prime minister, stand up. "Your Majesty, I don't agree with Marshal Cadorna's idea. The status of the Sultan is too important. In order to avoid extraneous problems, it is not appropriate for our country to show interest in the region."

Although neither of them said it explicitly, everyone knew that it was the British.

Carlo felt that what the two said made sense, but one was radical, wanting to get more benefits in exchange for benefits, and the other was prudent, which belongs to what you see.

Carlo also knew that the British had been eyeing an independent sultanate ever since the British were driven out of the sultanate. Now that Italy has occupied Libya, it has already aroused the vigilance of the British. If it continues to reach out to Sudan ~www.wuxiaspot.com~, it is difficult to guarantee that it will attract a rebound from the British.

One more thing to say here, the British Mediterranean Fleet has moved, and its home port has moved from Malta to a stressful one, nearly twenty years earlier than the original time and space. The reason is that Italy has occupied Libya, making the British fleet in Malta feel a bit awkward.

Of course, Carlo is not a historian, and he doesn't understand this, but he can also feel the meaning of the move from the British to relocate the Mediterranean fleet.

"Well, let's take it slow. Prime Minister, talk to the British ambassador first, and see the attitude of the British first."

That's right, Carlo is now seeking stability. He is unwilling to have more troubles this year, and everything will be discussed after this year.

"As your majesty."

After hearing Carlo's reply, Prime Minister Depretis was overjoyed, and Marshal Cadorna could only accept it reluctantly.

Carlo saw the disappointment of Marshal Cadorna in his eyes, he said later. "Marshal Cadorna stay for now, there is something I need to discuss with you."