In order to prevent Roumania itself from taking part in these negotiations Germany gave the Roumanian Government to understand that it would not treat with the present King and the present Government at all.

This step, however, was only intended to enable separate negotiations to be entered upon with Roumania, as Germany feared that the participation of Roumania in the Brest negotiations would imperil the chances of peace.

Roumania's idea seemed then to be to carry on the war and gain the upper hand.

At the end of January, therefore, Austria-Hungary took the initiative in order to bring about negotiations with Roumania.

The Emperor sent Colonel Randa, the former Military Attache to the Roumanian Government, to the King of Roumania, assuring him of his willingness to grant Roumania honourable terms of peace.
In connection with the peace negotiations a demand was raised in Hungarian quarters for a rectification of the frontier line, so as to prevent, or at any rate render difficult, any repetition of the invasion by Roumania in 1916 over the Siebenbuergen, despite opposition on the part of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.