Кнез Адам Адамович Чарториски и његови балкански планови

Abstract

The text discusses one of the most important links in the foreign-political activities of the Russian diplomat, Prince Adam Adamovich Czartoryski — his Balkan plans. An analysis is made of the plans, which were put forward mainly in written proposals and reports to Tsar Alexander I, dating from August 1806 to March 1807. The author points out that a new foreign-political concept, born in Russia in the early 19th century, found full reflection in them. According to the author, this concept puts in the foreground the continual advocation of Prince Czartoryski for the preservation of peace and his aims for keeping the status of Russia's neighboring states, above all Turkey, unchanged. In these aspirations, the author sees an indication of a universal principle, with Prince Czartoryski as the protagonist, which the Russian diplomacy abided by during the entire 19th century — the status quo principle. Special attention is paid to the difficulties and dilemmas standing before Russia in implementing the aforementioned principle, owing to the rift in which it had found itself balancing between Turkey and the Christian nations in the Balkans.