He was in favour of the Serbians because he felt assured that the petty agrarian policy of the Magyars was responsible for the constant annoyance of the Serbians.

He favoured meeting Serbia half-way, because he considered that the Serbian question was a source of discord between Vienna and Petersburg.

Another reason was that he was no friend of King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, who constantly pursued an anti-Serbian policy.

I believe that if those who were responsible for the organisation of the assassination of the Archduke had known what little justification there was for supposing him to be the man they thought him, they would have desisted.
Franz Ferdinand had a very pronounced feeling that in spite of all alliances the Monarchy must remain independent.

He was opposed to any closer combine with Germany, not wishing to be bound to Germany more than to Russia, and the plan that was formulated later as "Central Europe" was always far removed from his wishes and endeavours.
His plans for the future were not worked out, not complete, but they were sound.