At first our demands were categorically rejected. It was not until
another month of conversation that Austria-Hungary was induced to
increase the zone of territory she was prepared to cede in the Trentino
and then only as far as Mezzo Lombardo, thereby excluding the territory
inhabited by people of the Italian race, such as the Valle del Noce, Val
di Fasso, and Val di Ampezzo. Such a proposal would have given to Italy
a boundary of no strategical value. In addition the Austro-Hungarian
Government maintained its determination not to make the cession
effective before the end of the war.
The repeated refusals of Austria-Hungary were expressly confirmed in a
conversation between Baron Burian and the Italian Ambassador at Vienna
on April 29. While admitting the possibility of recognizing some of our
interests in Avlona and granting the above-mentioned territorial cession
in the Trentino, the Austro-Hungarian Government persisted in its
opposition to all our other demands, especially those regarding the
boundary of the Isonzo, Trieste, and the islands.
The attitude assumed by Austria-Hungary from the beginning of December
until the end of April made it evident that she was attempting to
temporize without coming to a conclusion.
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