Morning: In a private letter to Merey, Berchtold explains the reason for the ultimatum to Serbia. Pan-Serb agitation in Bosnia and its effects in the Empire’s other provinces can only be stopped by direct action at Belgrade.
Such action runs the risk of escalation because allies Italy and Romania cannot be relied on to support such action and there is strong pro-Slav support in Russia, but it is better to act now than let the problem get worse.