Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume I

740.00119 (Potsdam)/5–2446

No. 278
Briefing Book Paper

top secret

Austria

Establishment of Zones of Occupation and Control Machinery (Inter-Allied Military Government)

The Inter-Allied Administration of Austria can, and should, be established as soon as (but not before) the European Advisory Commission has completed, and the Governments have signed, the agreements now pending in the European Advisory Commission for (1) zones of occupation, and (2) control machinery, for Austria.

The European Advisory Commission negotiations are proceeding on the basis of the British proposals for zones of occupation and control machinery, copies of which are included in the basic documents accompanying these memoranda.¹ The commission expects to reach agreement on the control machinery, with modifications, without difficulty as soon as the zoning of Vienna has been agreed. For zones of occupation in Austria there is already satisfactory agreement in principle to allot to United States forces: the province of Salzburg, and that part of the province of Upper Austria south of the Danube River; to the Soviet forces: Burgenland, Lower Austria, and that part of Upper Austria north of the Danube; to British forces: Styria and Carinthia; and to French forces: the Tirol and Vorarlberg.

The one main obstacle to completion of these agreements has been the zoning of the capital Vienna. As a result of the recent reconnaissance mission to Vienna, it now appears possible to settle all differences except possibly the question of airfields in the Vienna area. The United States, Great Britain and France are pressing for allotment of a field to each of these countries, while the Soviet Government has hitherto been willing to consider only one airfield for the use of all three. An effort is now (June 23, 1945) being made in the European Advisory Commission to settle this final point.²

[ Washington ,] June 23, 1945.

1. Not included in the Briefing Book.
2. For the text of the agreement on control machinery, signed at London, July 4, 1945, see document No. 282. For the agreement on zones of occupation, signed at London, July 9, 1945, see Treaties and Other International Acts Series No. 1600; 61 Stat. (3) 2679.