Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The British Commonwealth, Western and Central Europe, Volume V

740.00119 Control (Austria)/3–2146: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan)

top secret
us urgent

Washington, March 21, 1946—1 p.m.

512. You are requested to bring following immediately to attention FonOff:

US is gravely concerned over failure of four powers to reach agreement on Allied policy to fulfill commitments undertaken in Moscow Declaration to create independent Austria. When US signed EAC agreements on zones of occupation⁶⁹ and control machinery it expected that AC would on recommendations from respective governments take necessary steps to carry out Allied policy uniformly in Austria as a whole and recommend steps for establishment of Austria’s complete independence. US considers that this policy has not been carried out due to inability of AC to reach unanimous decision on any program designed to relieve Austria from crushing burden of four power military occupation or to carry out provision of Article 14 control machinery agreement concerning new international agreement following Austrian elections and recognition of government.

In order to avoid charge that four powers are unable to cooperate to achieve agreed objectives US has instructed Gen Clark to present in AC as soon as possible a comprehensive program for reconstruction of Austria as an independent state. Gen Clark will propose that AC proceed to a full and frank discussion of following points:

1. Food supply and relief and removal of all obstacles which hinder immediate inauguration of UNRRA program.

2. Immediate and substantial reduction of occupation forces.

3. Economic rehabilitation and establishment of basis of existence of independent national economy by agreement on interpretation of cases arising under Potsdam Agreement enabling Austria to exist economically as independent state and to control resources in a manner consistent with national independence.

4. Recommendations to be submitted to respective governments concerning international agreement as stipulated in Article 14 control machinery.

US urgently requests that full and appropriate instructions be sent Soviet member AC to permit discussion of this program in a manner consistent both with international objectives respecting Austria and machinery designed by international agreement to achieve those objectives.

Please inform Vienna directly when foregoing communication has been sent to FonOff.⁷⁰

Sent to Moscow as 512; mutatis mutandis to London as 2474 and Paris as 1302, and repeated to Vienna as 278.

Byrnes

69. See Foreign Relations, 1945, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), vol. ii, p. 681.
70. The British and French Governments were in substantial accord with the position of the United States, as reported in Embassy telegrams 3480, March 27, from London, and 1564, April 2, from Paris (740.00119 (Austria)/3–2746,/4–246).