Afternoon: Bethmann uses Sazonov’s statement that Russia would go to war if Austria-Hungary swallowed Serbia, as a means of avoiding war or blaming Russia. Austria-Hungary has already said to Russia it has no intention of taking territory from Serbia.
He telegrams Pourtalès to say to Sazonov “that Count Berchtold has declared to Russia that Austria plans no territorial gains in Serbia …. the preservation of European peace depends entirely on Russia”.