webnovelfull Chapter 1238 Admit your mistake in public
Chapter 1238 Admit your mistake in public
Sergei walked up to the podium and took the microphone. The spotlight hurt his eyes, but he still forced himself to maintain the demeanor of a diplomat.
"Ladies and gentlemen," his voice was a little hoarse, but still steady, "Today, on behalf of the Russian Empire, I stand here and admit to the world a historical mistake."
He paused, and forced himself to continue: "In the past, the Russian Empire used its military superiority to forcibly occupy the territory belonging to China. This was a wrong decision and an outright act of aggression."
There was an uproar in the audience. Even the most experienced journalists had never seen the foreign minister of a major country admit his mistakes in such a straightforward way.
"We admit," Sergei continued, his voice becoming increasingly hoarse, "that this behavior violates international law and human conscience and has brought profound disaster and suffering to the Chinese people."
He could feel Su Zhengyang's eyes fixed on him. The young man must be enjoying the feast of the winner at this moment.
&34;Therefore,&34; he took a deep breath,&34;the Russian Empire decided,&34;to unconditionally return all illegally occupied territories and pay corresponding compensation to express our apology.&;
The Chinese people in the audience burst into warm applause, while reporters from all over the world frantically pressed their shutters, fearing to miss any details.
"This Sino-Russian Treaty," Sergeimer's voice began to tremble slightly, "is not only a reckoning with the past, but also a promise for the future. The Russian Empire promised to forever abandon its claims to these territories and respect the sovereignty and integrity of China."
He could feel sweat starting to form on his forehead. Every word of these words felt like cutting into his flesh.
"At the same time, I want to especially thank President Su for his magnanimity," he turned to the young man on the podium, "it is he who gave us a chance to resolve the issue peacefully. Otherwise..."
He did not finish his words, but everyone understood his implication. Otherwise, Tsarist Russia would pay an even more painful price.
"Finally," Sergei said, his voice already a little hoarse, "I hope that the signing of this treaty can be a new starting point for the relationship between the two countries. Let us replace confrontation and hatred with peace and cooperation."
After saying this, he felt that all the strength in his body had been drained away. However, his professional qualities as a diplomat still supported him to maintain a decent smile.
The audience applauded again, but Sergei knew how much ridicule and contempt were contained in the applause.
On the podium, Su Zhengyang picked up the teacup, took a sip, and a faint smile hung on the corner of his mouth.
As soon as Sergei Mo's speech ended, reporters in the audience rushed in like a tide, vying to raise their hands to ask questions.
"Minister Sergei!" The reporter from the British Empire Times spoke first, "Did Tsarist Russia make concessions under military threats? We heard that China's Northern Division has completed war mobilization?"
Sergei's face froze. Before he could answer, another question came.
&34;Reporter from Le Figaro, France! Will the indemnity of 34 million gold rubles deal a fatal blow to the Russian economy? It is reported that this is almost equivalent to the Russian fiscal revenue for one year! &;
"The New York Times! Minister Sergei, you just mentioned "magnanimity". Does this mean that China has more stringent demands that have not been made? For example, military occupation?"
The problems became more and more acute, and each one was like a sharp sword pointing directly at the soft spot of Tsarist Russia.
&34;Byrd Empire Observer! May I ask if President Su Zhengyang mentioned Führer Hitler during the negotiations? Was Tsarist Russia worried about the threat from the West after its defeat on the Eastern Front? &34;
Sergei's forehead began to sweat. These reporters were so sharp that they almost guessed the entire content of the negotiations.
&34;The Washington Post! Will this treaty change the balance of power in the Far East? Can Russia maintain its great power status after losing these territories? &34;
&34;Italian Evening News! May I ask whether His Majesty the Tsar agrees with this treaty? It is said that this is the largest territorial cession since the founding of Tsarist Russia? &34;
&34;Reuters! There are reports that China has begun preparations to take over the territory. Does this mean that Tsarist Russia had no room for negotiation from the beginning? &34;
The questions came like a storm. Standing on the podium, Sergei felt like he was nailed to a pillar of shame. Every question reminded him how the Tsarist Russia was forced into this situation step by step.
The flashes kept flashing, clearly recording Sergei's pale face and the cold sweat on his forehead. These photos will appear in newspapers around the world tomorrow, showing the world the failure of an empire.
On the rostrum, Su Zhengyang still maintained an elegant posture with a faint smile on his face. He seemed to enjoy seeing Sergei Mo struggling under the reporters' questioning.
Just when Sergei was about to be overwhelmed, Fang Dihu walked forward gracefully.
"My dear journalist friends," he said gently, "I think Minister Sergei has made it very clear. His attitude of admitting mistakes on behalf of the Tsarist Russia is very sincere, which deserves recognition."
Sergei secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Fang Dihu with gratitude.
"As a victim, China chose to forgive." Fang Dihu continued, "This reflects our tolerance and generosity. After all, we value the future more than dwelling on past hatred."
The reporters' questions died down a bit. Sergei even felt that the Chinese Foreign Minister was quite reasonable.
However, Fang Dihu changed the subject: "Of course, I understand the curiosity of the reporters. But don't worry, we have arranged a special press conference in the Phoenix Hall."
Sergei's heart sank.
"Minister Sergey will answer everyone's questions freely," Fang Dihu said with a polite smile, "I believe Minister Sergey will not refuse this opportunity to let the world know more about the details of this negotiation."
Sergei felt like he had swallowed a fly, and he felt uncomfortable all over. This was not helping him out, but digging a deeper hole for him.
One press conference is not enough, and there must be another free question session? Do we have to go through those sharp questions and humiliating inquiries again?
He secretly glanced at Su Zhengyang on the rostrum. The young man was sipping tea leisurely, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Fang Dihu continued in his gentle voice: "Now, let's continue with the signing ceremony of the treaty. Minister Sergei, please."
Sergei endured the humiliation in his heart and followed Fang Dihu to the signing table. He finally understood what kind of careful calculations were hidden behind the politeness and kindness of these Chinese people.
They are not here to rescue, but to make this shame more complete and more profound.