Austria’s Peace Offers.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 20, 7 January 1920, Page 5

Austria’s Peace Offers.

A CIRCUMSTANTIAL STORY. NEGOTIATIONS IN 1917 A LETTER FROM KARL. . ITALY DENIES STORY. (fir Cable.—Press Assoolation.—Copyright. > (Received 7, 9.25.) Paris, Jan. 5. A circumstantial account of Austria’s negotiations for a separate peace in 1917 states that the Empress Zita, when in Switzerland, gave her brother Sixte a note from Emperor Karl soliciting his aid to secure peace. Sixte said peace was unobtainable without the restoration of Alsace and Lorraine to France, the cession of Constantinople to Russia, and Albania to Servia. Tiixte on sth March handed to President Poincare Emperor Karl’s note declaring that he was a strong supporter of France, and adding: “We absolutely are not in Germany’s hands, and only want to maintain our present frontiers.”

Sixte later visited Austria. Karl said that if he could not induce Germany to make a just peace he would make a separate peace rather than sacrifice the Empire to Germany’s madness.

Sixte had many interviews in France including ones with Poincare, Ribot, and Mr Lloyd George. He went to England and saw Mr Lloyd George, who took him to see the King. The overtures failed, because the Entente were unable to arrange terms satisfactory to Italy which insisted on receiving Tyrol, though, according to Karl, General Cadorna sent an emissary to Berne offering a separate peace on the conditions that Italy would receive the Italian portions of the Trentino. Cadorna denies this story of the Berne mission as a pure invention. Italian newspapers suggest the story is circulated during negotiations in order to sow dissension between Italy and other Entente Powers by blaming Italy for the failure of negotiations. — (A. and N.Z.)