"What, the Austrians want to annex the Ottoman?"
The newly crowned Tsar Alexander III had no time to celebrate before this bad news arrived.
Foreign Minister Ossiel Riviera replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. Not long ago we applied for a loan from the Vienna Government, and they made this demand."
Alexander III shook his head and answered decisively, "No, this absolutely cannot happen!
Once we allow the Austrians to annex the Ottoman, their influence will reach into Central Asia, and no one can assure us they will not become our competitors.
If Central Asia falls into the hands of the native Khanate, we might retake it; but if it falls into Austrian hands, it would be nearly impossible to retrieve.
We are greatly weakened now and simply do not have the capacity to compete with them.
The Austrians aim to control our lifeline. If they take Central Asia, they will have the ability to split the Russian Empire in two.
