Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1945, European Advisory Commission, Austria, Germany, Volume III

740.00119 Council/12–1445: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)

Washington, December 14, 1945—8 p.m.

2526. Personal to Secretary from Acheson. Erhardt’s 560 of Dec 12 to Dept repeated to you at Moscow as Dept’s 2523 of 14th emphasizes necessity for strong representation of US view to USSR at present conference if at all possible. US view incorporated in Deptel 2420 of Nov 29 to Moscow⁵⁵ to which no reply has been received. Background and urgency of this issue is known to Cohen.⁵⁶ Unless minimum of agreement at government level is reached now, a delay of some months may result either from cumbersome exchange of cables among four governments or from delay until opportunity to raise issue at next meeting of Secretaries.

It is judgment of Dept on both political and economic sides that such delay may result in USSR fait accompli with respect to control of basic Austrian resources and that US policy for independent Austria will be compromised with serious repercussions for policy Southeast and Central Europe as a whole.

Sent to Moscow as 2526, repeated to Vienna as 361.

Acheson

55. See footnote 32, p. 668.
56. Benjamin V. Cohen, Counselor of the Department who was detailed to the Conference of Foreign Ministers in Moscow.