763.0221/8–350
The Chargé in Austria ( Dowling ) to the Secretary of State
No. 126
Ref: Department’s Telegram No. 3, dated July 1, 19501
Subject: Reply to Austrian Note of March 7, 1950 on Alleviation of Occupation Costs
The verbatim text of the reply delivered on August 4, 1950, to the Austrian Note of March 7, 1950, on the alleviation of occupation costs is as follows:
“The Legation of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Federal Chancellery, Department of Foreign Affairs, [Page 402] and under instructions from the Department of State, has the honor to transmit the following views with reference to the Note Verbale of the Austrian Government dated March 7, 1950, No. Z1 121.751–POL/50, concerning the alleviation of occupation burdens.
It is noted that the request of the Austrian Federal Government in this respect is made necessary by the fact that the State Treaty has not been completed due to obstacles created by the Soviet Government. The basic objective of United States policy since 1946 has been to conclude the treaty in order that Austria might regain its independence in accordance with the provisions of the Moscow Declaration. The only true basis on which Austria can regain full sovereignty is by Four-Power agreement and the withdrawal from Austrian soil of all forces of occupation. Consequently, action taken by the Government of the United States in response to the request of the Austrian Federal Government will not be regarded as a substitute for the treaty but rather as constructive measures to fulfill the provisions of the Control Agreement of 1946 that assistance will be given to the freely elected Austrian Government to assume as quickly as possible full control of the affairs of state in Austria.
The readiness of the British, French and United States Governments to conclude the Austrian treaty at the earliest time possible was reaffirmed at the meeting of the Foreign Ministers in May. The principles agreed upon by the three Foreign Ministers, concerning which the Austrian Federal Government has already been informed, have been communicated to the Soviet Government in the hope that it too will agree to fulfill the pledge made in the Moscow Declaration and permit the resumption of active negotiation of the unagreed issues of the treaty.
In the absence of a treaty, and of the complete fulfillment of the desires of the Austrian people with which the Government of the United States is in full sympathy, it is understandable that the Government of Austria should seek to ease the burdens of the occupation. It has been with this thought in mind that the Government of the United States has, since the beginning of the occupation, completely supported all efforts to relieve these burdens by means of four-power agreement, and has, in the absence of agreement by the Four Powers, on its own initiative taken such unilateral actions as have been feasible to make Austria’s lot easier to bear, pending a final settlement of the issues involved. The specific steps already taken by the United States Government in this direction are well known to the Austrian Government and need not be reviewed.
As to the detailed proposals submitted by the Austrian Government, some relate to matters which can only be resolved on a four-power basis and concerning which United States representatives have previously unsuccessfully sought quadripartite agreement. Others, as the Austrian Government is aware, have little or no application to United States forces in Austria in that they refer to actions which are either not countenanced by United States policy or to matters concerning which the action suggested is in large part already in effect in areas controlled by the United States High Commissioner.
The issues raised by the Austrian Federal Government were discussed at the recent conference of Foreign Ministers referred to above, and the three Governments declared themselves in agreement as to the [Page 403] desirability of lightening the burden of occupation on Austria. An important step in this direction was the decision of the three powers to appoint Civilian High Commissioners in Austria.
The Government of the United States will not fail to continue its examination of the proposals transmitted by the Austrian Federal Government and to take such further action to comply therewith as may be feasible. As to those matters which can be resolved only by agreement among the respective powers, the Austrian Government may be assured that the representatives of the United States Government will urge agreement to grant a maximum alleviation of the remaining occupation burdens within the limits of existing four-power agreements.
The Legation of the United States of America avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Federal Chancellery, Department of Foreign Affairs, the assurances of its highest consideration.”
- Not printed; it transmitted the draft text of a reply to the Austrian note of March 7. Except for the introduction and the closing paragraph the draft is the same as that transmitted in this despatch. (763.0221/7–150) Copies of the draft were shown to the British and French who offered no objections to it. (Telegrams 163, July 10, from Paris and 461, July 21, from London, neither printed, 763.0221/7–1050 and 2150).↩