740.00119 Council/6–2446: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, at Paris23
3165. Secdel 375. For the Secretary from the Acting Secretary. Urtel 2988 Delsec 597 June 20.24 We have noted your comments on Gruber’s proposals. It seems to us here that Gruber’s proposals (Vienna’s 856 June 15 repeated to Paris as 11925) may offer a basis for a settlement by direct negotiations between Italy and Austria. Naturally many points in his outline would have to be clarified but he may well have the germ of a lasting solution.
Decision on Austro-Italian frontier (urtel 3093 June 24 Delsec 62226) clearly brings out necessity for urging a direct Austro-Italian settlement. Reestablishment of previous Austro-Italian frontier does not solve ethnic problems involved in this region although it answers basic Italian objections to frontier change involving power and strategic boundaries. It is obvious that Austrian Govt will require face-saving device on whole South Tirol question in view of four-power decision, and failure to encourage Austrians and Italians to seek satisfactory solution thereof may endanger position of Govt and jeopardize future Allied policy in Austria,
It is believed that solution along lines of Gruber’s proposals would provide a unique settlement of a disputed frontier issue which has existed since last war. It bridges gap between ethnic principles and more practical consideration of electric power and military security. If South Tirol were denationalized on this basis it would preserve autonomous status without prejudicing Italian economic or security interests. Such practical matters as police control could be solved on local basis and provided for in proposed South Tirol statute. Disputes arising from interpretation of statute could be settled by providing for compulsory jurisdiction by international court of justice. It is anticipated that Italy and Austria will in time become members of the United Nations and will have recourse to procedures of peaceful settlements of disputes established for Security Council and Assembly. It would not be desirable to provide for United Nations guarantee but to rely on compulsory jurisdiction of international court. If satisfactory arrangement can be completed, principles might be applicable to other disputed frontier areas and would [Page 352] provide a novel approach to many complicated European problems. A satisfactory settlement also would provide US with basis to propose close economic relations between Italy and Austria thus giving Austrian economy a greater chance of survival. Austro-Italian economic cooperation on a successful basis would open wide-spread possibilities for further economic arrangements in Central Europe.
Italian Govt should be impressed with necessity of arriving at amicable solution in view of CFM decision to retain previous frontier. South Tirol in past has created antagonism between Austria and Italy, and large section of world opinion holds that original decision in Treaty of St. Germain in 1919 was a mistake. Italy should be impressed with need for arriving at democratic solution of minority problems which can best be assured by creating an autonomous South Tirol such as proposed by Gruber.
We therefore hope that you will reconsider this matter and send us your instructions. We shall not send any instructions to Vienna or Rome until we have your further instructions.
- The Secretary of State was in Paris for the Second Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers.↩
- Not printed; it indicated the Delegation’s belief that Gruber’s proposal for solution of South Tyrol question by bilateral negotiations between Austria and Italy was not practical or desirable (740.00119 Council/6–2046).↩
- Not printed.↩
- For documentation on the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting of June 24. 1946, see volume ii.↩