Next, the point of contention between the parties was the restoration of the Pope Country's territorial status before the last war. Located in the central Apennine Peninsula, once its previous territory is restored, it could bisect Italy.
Friedrich: "The Pope Country holds a transcendent position, yet the Kingdom of Italy has continuously encroached upon its territory through various conspiracies and tricks. We should place the Pope Country in a special position; it does not participate in international affairs, and no country should invade it, or else the invader becomes an enemy of God, and anyone has the right to eliminate them."
This essentially turns the Pope Country into a vase or a permanent neutral state, which does not affect other countries. Only the forces within Italy desiring unification would be affected, as if a fishbone is stuck in their throat, causing discomfort.
