Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Council of Foreign Ministers; Germany and Austria, Volume II

740.00119 Council/4–1847: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State

confidential
urgent

Moscow, April 18, 1947—10 p.m.

1447. Delsec 1438. For the President, Vandenberg, Connally and Acheson from Marshall. Thirty-third CFM meeting, April 18, a.m., Marshall presiding, heard Austrian Foreign Minister Gruber present his government’s views on the draft treaty for Austria.

Returning ethnic, geographic and economic arguments presented yesterday by the Yugoslavs, Gruber said that any alteration in Austria’s present frontiers would be fatal to democracy in Austria. Pointing out that Austria was the first state to lose its independence as a result of Hitler’s action, Gruber pleaded with the Council to end the occupation of his country as soon as possible and thus restore Austrian sovereignty.⁸²

The Council adjourned without further discussion of the clause fixing Austria’s frontiers but will return to this clause later. This afternoon the Council will discuss the economic clauses of the Austrian treaty.

Repeated London 167, Berlin 296.

Department pass to Vienna as 47, Rome as 40 and Paris as 153.

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Marshall

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82. Gruber’s statement was circulated to the Council as document CFM(47) (M)142, not printed.