After the Crimean War, the problem of Bessarabia occupied an important place in the foreign policy of the Great Powers. At the initiative of the Austrian Foreign Minister, Buol, southern Bessarabia was to be given to the Principality of Moldova. Obviously, Russia could not accept such a clause. This question has caused divergences between the allied powers: France and England. These powers had antagonistic points of view. The press of the time carefully reflected this matter. The French newspapers, in this case, the „Journal des Débats politiques et littéraires” and „The Constitutionnel” reflected this question in several articles. These newspapers published articles about Russia's attempts to keep southern Bessarabia, especially Bolgrad, under the claim that it was the administrative centre of the Bulgarian colonies in Bessarabia. They also criticized the refusal of Russia to cede this territory to the Principality of Moldova. The Paris Conference of 1857 would finally solve this problem.