740.00119 Control (Austria)/11–345: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the United States Political Adviser for Austrian Affairs (Erhardt)
299. Letter has been sent by me to Secretary of War22 recommending that immediate steps be taken to equalize occupation forces in various zones and reduce them to garrison level required for security and fulfillment of policies of Allied Council. On receipt of War Dept approval instructions will be sent for action in Council and simultaneous representations will be made in Moscow, London and Paris.
In view of report urtel 421, Nov. 3, Dept hopes soon to propose that four-power agreement on control machinery be replaced by new agreement [Page 663] to include following steps in fulfilling international commitments towards Austria:
- 1.
- Establishment of a procedure whereby purely military character of Allied occupation can be transformed into a civilian control which will represent interest of all four powers in maintenance of Austrian independence. This objective will involve large scale reduction of occupation troops and progressive transfer of administrative functions and authority to Austrian state with Allied Council exercising supervisory power. Emphasis will be placed on breaking-down rigid division of Austria into zones by stressing military government on a national level rather than on zonal and district basis and providing machinery which will operate through the Austrian government uniformly in Austria as a whole.
- 2.
- Establishment of procedure for bringing Allied military occupation to an end and replacement of Allied Council by civilian high commission to supervise fulfillment of Allied policy in Austria and to guarantee Austrian independence.
- 3.
- Agreement on form of ultimate liquidation of all Allied controls and transfer of full sovereign rights to Austrian government.
- 4.
- Department considers that these proposals should be made soon and early changes effected in character of military occupation but actual liquidation of Allied controls and complete withdrawal of U.S. forces should not take place at this time. Furthermore it is desirable to keep some U.S. forces in Austria during coming winter in order to provide relief supplies pending inauguration of UNRRA activities. Dept does not consider that Austria is at present in a position to bargain with Soviet Union. Since maintenance of independence in the future depends on solution of entire Central and Eastern European question Dept considers that some form of Allied control should be maintained for the present.
Although no specific instructions have been transmitted on reservation of powers (urtel 404, Oct. 31) in view of excellent handling of this question on spot by you and General Clark under terms of general instructions and international agreements, Dept considers that guiding principle in negotiations should be maintenance of supreme authority of Council until authority is modified by international agreement; quadripartite action rather than unilateral action in dealing with all questions affecting Austria as a whole and in all Austrian relations with governments represented on Council; and progressive change in status of Austrian government to enable that government to function ultimately as an independent state.
Dept considers that basis of Austrian independence is precarious and that all possible steps should be taken to establish concept that maintenance of Austrian independence is a European question in which U.S. has a major interest and that U.S. will not accept a unilateral solution placing Austria under immediate and complete control of any power now represented on the Council. Dept realizes that U.S. objectives depend on assistance for economic rehabilitation and participation [Page 664] of Austrian economy in general European economic framework. Discussions are now under way for U.S. assistance and possible loan to Austrian government. These will be facilitated by arrival or designation of Austrian representative in U.S. Your views and suggestions on foregoing are urgently requested.
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