Compared to Austria, who wanted to appease public opinion, the Colombian Government could not afford to delay. If they didn't regain control of the Panama area quickly, they might never get it back.
Although the Austrian Government had made a promise, that was merely a promise; whether they would honor it in the end was ultimately up to them.
In those days, the great powers' bottom lines were very low, and breaking treaties was a common occurrence. If the Vienna Government later reneged, the Colombian Government lacked the power to hold them to their commitment.
It wasn't as if there were no precedents for such scenarios. If that happened, except for voicing a few protests, there was little the Colombian Government could do.
After receiving the diplomatic note for negotiations from the Austrian envoy, President Rafael Núñez could not afford to be concerned with appearances and personally took charge.
