to embrace the cause of Russia and that of her Allies. In effect, public opinion in these countries, responsive to all that is meant by the national ideal, has long since pronounced itself in this sense, but you will understand that I cannot go into this question very profoundly, seeing that the Governments of these countries with which we enjoy friendly relations have not yet taken a definitive decision.
Now, it is for them to arrive at this decision, for they alone will be responsible to their respective nations if they miss a favourable opportunity to realize their national aspirations. I am constrained to mention with sincere gratitude the services rendered to us by Italy and Spain in protecting our comparatriots in enemy countries. I must also emphasize the care lavished by Sweden on Russian travellers who were the victims of German brutality. I hope that this fact will strengthen the relations of good neighbourliness between Russia and Sweden, which we desire to see still more cordial than they are.
Before the war with Turkey we succeeded in putting an end to the secular Turco-Prussian quarrel by means of the delimitation of the Persian Gulf and Mount Ararat region, thanks to which we preserved for Persia a disputed territory with an area of almost twenty thousand square versts, part of which the Turks had invaded. Since the war the Persian Government has declared its neutrality, but this has not prevented Germany, Austria, and Turkey from carrying on a propaganda with the object of gaining Persian sympathies. These intrigues have been particularly intense in Azerbaijan, where the Turks succeeded in attracting to their side some of the Kurds in that country. Afterwards Ottoman troops, violating Persian neutrality, crossed the Persian frontier, and, supported by Kurdish bands, penetrated the districts where our detachments were in cantonments, and transformed Azerbaijan into a part of the Russo-Turkish theatre of war.
In passing let me say that the presence of our troops in Persia is in no way a violation of neutrality, for they were sent there some years ago with the object of maintaining order in our frontier territory and preventing its invasion by the Turks, who wished to establish there an advantageous base of action against the Caucasus. The Persian Government, powerless to take effective action against this aggression, protested, but without success. I am glad to say that Anglo-Russian relations in regard to Persian affairs are more than
