740.00119 Control (Austria)/8–2946: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser for Austria (Erhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 29—7:55 a.m.]
1184. Russians now beginning to feel new control agreement of 28 June is tending to let power in Austria slip from their hands.
[Page 364]Effect of new control agreement, providing for automatic tacit approval of laws unless unanimously vetoed by Council, has in practice had effect of transferring veto power from Soviet element to US. In AC meeting August 23,48 reported in P–3096 through AGWar,49 Soviet member introduced six various resolutions all tending to nullify new control agreement by instructing Austrian Govt not to implement it until instructed to do so by (unanimous) instructions from AC. All six were vetoed by western elements.
When such efforts to withhold power from Austrians and regain Soviet veto power in Council fail, Soviets turn to only resort of unilateral action by their forces in own zone under article 2(d).
New control machinery thus strengthens Austrian Govt as well as western influence in AC. However an unfortunate corollary will be increased reluctance of Soviets to withdraw forces from Austria as long as Potsdam questions are unsettled and they must rely upon occupation forces to enforce their claims to disputed German assets.
Repeated Paris as 189 and Moscow as 54.