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Otto von Bismarck, along with the Austrian Chancellor persuaded the other great powers to attend a meeting in Berlin, to discuss the Balkans and to solve any differences by diplomatic means. Germany sought to portray itself as an ‘impartial arbitrator in the disputes in the Balkans’.<ref>Taylor, p. 231.</ref> In fact, it had its own agenda, to maintain the informal alliance between it Austro-Hungary and Russia, the so-called League of the Three Emperors. In order to maintain peace in Europe, Bismarck sought to convince other European diplomats on dividing up the Balkans in a way that would prevent future instability. In June 1878, the representative of the Great European powers met and with the Balkan powers and the Ottomans discussed the future of the region. After several weeks of increasingly tense negotiations , a series of agreements were arrived at and they were to form the basis of the Treaty of Berlin. The main points in the Treaty were:#-Recognition of Romania, Montenegro , and Serbia as independent states.#-Bulgaria to secure more autonomy within the Ottoman Empire.#-The strategic province of Macedonia was to remain part of the Ottoman Empire#-Bosnia and Herzegovina were to become part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.<ref>Taylor, p. 241.</ref>