Page 196 - Il Mediterraneo quale elemento del Potere Marittimo - Atti 16-18 settembre 1996

182 COSTICA PRODAN

setting up of a "supervisory commission", made up of one permanent representa-
tive of each of the riparian states and two delegates, also representacives of the ri-
parian states, from the European Commission of the Danube, elected for 6 months.
The Romanian draft acknowledged the right of control and monitoring exercised
by Europe, but without the immixture into the domestic affairs of the .riparian states.
Even if the Austrian-Hungarian viewpoint was accepted at the Conference in
7
London of 1883 < > through the passing of the Barrère Draft, success was merely
formai because cpe governments of Bucharest an d Sophia refused to put i t in prac-
tice ••••. Romania's joining in the political-military bloc of the Centrai Powers in
October 1883 turned into dead letter the Austrian-Hungarian draft on the naviga-
don downstream the Iron Gates, pas~ed at the Conference in London.
As regards the Straits - their juridical status had a decisive influence on the
regime of the Black Sea - the British-Russian disputes became evident. Germany
and Austria-Hungary supported to various extents the Russian policy in exchange
for the Russian acknowledgement of the Austrian-Hungarian penetration to the
Balkans.
The importance of the Straits for Britain was evident particurarly during the
diplomatic conflict between Petersburg and London in 1885, brought about by the
clash of interests of the two Great Powers in Centrai Asia. Britain could put up
a commensurate riposte only by using ber fleet. In order to do this, she had to
pass through the Straits into the Black Sea, but the regulations forbade the war-
ships to go through. Germany and Austria-Hu~gary opposed the British intentions
and therefore Britain was compelled to rea eh a compromise with Russia ......
Romania was very interested as regards the regime of the navigation in the
Straits (S). That was a vi tal problem for its economie life because the Bosphorus
and the Dardanelles were the only passage from the Black Sea to the Mediterra-
nean Sea. The Romanian politica! circles were conscious that the Great Powers pre-
vailed over this problem, but Romanian interests had to be defended. Romania
sustained the freedom of marine navigation in the Straits and considered a huge
danger the contrai of the Straits by the military fleets of certain Great Powers.
Although political-diplomatic fight among the Great Powers over the Straits
Question was between 1878 and 1898 a very active one, the Straits status remai-
ned essentially unchanged.