Question

Read this line from the text:

Answer 1

After reading the excerpt represented above, I would say that the most appropriate word that coincides with tone of the text is Demands. At first : there is a business term called false demands, which is commonly used in economics/international relationships. And if in actually brings the negative meaning it couldn't be Refusals, (obviously -statements also can't be used and the same with argument as it should be in another context).