740.00119 Control (Austria)/5–145: Telegram
The British Prime Minister (Churchill) to President Truman
Following is message referred to in my immediately preceding telegram:
Begins.
We have been much concerned to hear from our Chargé d’Affaires in Moscow that, despite invitation extended to Mr. Harriman on April 13th, the Soviet Government will not agree to Allied Missions proceeding to Vienna until agreement has been reached in E.A.C. regarding respective zones in Vienna and provisional control machinery. We have also been disagreeably surprised by announcement of the setting up in Vienna of a provisional Austrian Government, despite our request for time to consider the matter.
It has been our understanding that treatment of Austria, as of Germany, is a matter of common concern to the Four Powers who are to occupy and control those countries. We regard it as essential that British, American and French representatives should be allowed to proceed to Vienna in order to report on conditions there before any final settlement is reached in E.A.C. on matters affecting occupation and control of the country and especially of Vienna itself. We hope you will issue the necessary instructions to Marshal Tolbukhin in order that Allied Missions may fly in at once from Italy.