Chapter 636 - 300: Pan-Iberianism

The three areas the United Kingdom is willing to concede, apart from the Truce States, are undesirable to Carlo.

In the previous conflict over Borneo, Spain has already occupied the Kutai Sultanate. If Spain were to expand further south, it would take over all lands held by the Netherlands in Borneo.

Consequently, the situation in Borneo transformed from a Spanish-Dutch colonial rivalry with the United Kingdom as an outsider to direct competition between the United Kingdom and Spain.

Carlo does not want colonial competition with the United Kingdom in such distant locations, as the time required for travel between the mainland and Borneo involves considerable expenses.

The same logic applies to New Guinea. Carlo ordered the Philippine Colony to dispatch colonists to New Guinea to delay other European powers’ colonization efforts.

Currently, Spain’s colonization in New Guinea is quite successful; with British support, acquiring half of New Guinea wouldn’t be exaggerated.

However, the issue is that New Guinea and Borneo share the same awkward situation of being too far from Spanish mainland.

Moreover, with Spain’s limited population, Carlo has no plans to develop these lands in the short term.

Maintaining these colonies requires substantial expenditure, thus Carlo truly values only the United Kingdom’s third condition, the Truce States.

However, Spain’s interest in the Truce States cannot be directly manifested and requires adopting a strategy similar to an involuntary compromise to obtain this area.

If Spain were to actively request this region, the British would suspect Spain’s intentions. If the British were to discover the vast oil fields on the Middle East Peninsula, Spain could not defend the Middle Eastern territories already occupied.

Only by passively accepting these lands can the British not suspect Spain’s motives, allowing Spain to accumulate strength to protect them.

As long as it withstands a world war, post-war Spain will undoubtedly have the capability to safeguard these lands. After experiencing a world war, the European powers will not regain strength in a short time, and even the mighty British Empire will be unable to launch another major war among powers.

Carlo did not meet with the British ambassador for long; he merely confirmed that the conflict between Spain and the United Kingdom over Southern Congo should be handled with sensible and conciliatory attitudes.

As for the compensation the British should provide thereafter, the Spanish Government should be the one to negotiate with the British.

Although Spain and the United Kingdom reached a compromise regarding the lands in Southern Congo, neither mentioned Portugal tacitly.

Despite the compromise suggesting a trend towards mending relations, both the British and Spanish governments understand that such compromise is merely an unavoidable measure.

After the compromise is reached, the main policies of both governments will involve wooing the Portuguese Government.

The United Kingdom does not wish to see Portugal lean towards the Spanish side, while Spain must seize the opportunity to further estrange Portugal from the United Kingdom.

Following prolonged negotiations between the British and Spanish governments, both parties finally reached a compromise on the Southern Congo land issues.

The Luanda Kingdom and Bwonda Kingdom already acquired by Portugal remain Portugal’s possessions, fulfilling the proposal initially made when Portugal and Spain exchanged colonies.

Spain gains the Kuba Kingdom in northern Luanda Kingdom, while Portugal gets the Luba Kingdom in eastern Luanda Kingdom as additional compensation.

As for the crucial Baloselan Kingdom, Mwata Kazemb Kingdom, Malawi Kingdom, and Yeke Kingdom, they were taken over by the British to form a Cairo-Cape Town link as planned.

To compensate Spain, the United Kingdom must also offer the Truce States, while ensuring Spanish merchants and immigrants can freely access Southern Congo territories.

Naturally, the same applies to the Portuguese. This gives the Portuguese government some face, preventing them from walking away with nothing.

Once both nations reached consensus, the Berlin Conference debate over Southern Congo lands quickly concluded.

This debate originally stemmed from British-Spanish competition, and since the rivalry was resolved, further discussion is unnecessary.

Other European powers exert no interference over the compromise between the British and Spanish, avoiding offending them in minor matters.

With the conclusion of the first topic, the Berlin Conference swiftly moved to the second, the Guaf Africa topic.

European countries all have colonial plans in Africa, and each presented theirs at the Berlin Conference, uncovering numerous points of conflict.

To prevent clashes in African colonization among major powers, German Prime Minister Bismarck proposed guidelines for effective occupation.

The so-called effective occupation requires nations to notify others when establishing colonies or protectorates on African coastal lands to allow other participating nations to make their claims.

Simultaneously, nations wanting to establish colonies must ensure they possess governing power capable of protecting existing European rights, while adhering to regulated trade and transit freedoms; only compliance with these conditions marks an occupation as effective, thus a legitimate colony.