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

740.00119 Council/1–2947: Telegram

The United States Deputy for Austria at the Council of Foreign Ministers ( Clark ) to the Secretary of State

secret

London , January 29, 1947—5 p.m.

627. Delsec 1155 from Clark. Austrian Deputies January 28 heard following Czechoslovak views presented by Karol Lisicky:² Czechoslovakia particularly interested in reestablishment of independent and democratic Austria because of Czechoslovak geographical position and strategic reasons resulting therefrom; thorough de-Nazification urged; prohibition of Anschluss and its propagation; no concrete proposals made for carrying out prohibition or formulating it; violation of prohibition against Anschluss would fall under chapters 6 and 7 of United Nations Charter provoking intervention by Security Council.

Support requested for Czechoslovak-Austrian bilateral negotiations on following frontier adjustments:

(1) Austria to transfer to Austrian [Czechoslovak?] territory within two years section of narrow-gauge railway passing across Czechoslovakian territory on line from Austrian frontier station of Gmund to Austrian town of Litschau.

(2) Free transit on highway across Austrian territory between Czechoslovak towns of Nova Bystrice and Chlum.

(3) Cession of land along Austrian bank of River Dyje where hydro-electric dams are to be built near Hardegg and unnamed site further downstream where another dam is to be built. Interstate agreement of 10 March 1921 held to cover development of water power system and transfer of land.

(4) Cession of two small areas west and northeast of Laa an der Thaya on the River Dyje to shorten frontier.

(5) Cession of territory 33 yards wide and 8 miles long from Breclava to point where Morava flows into Danube for moving course of Morava to allow extension of Elbe-Oder-Danube Canal.

(6) Cession of 5,880 acres to extend Bratislava bridgehead westward.

Answering M. Couve de Murville, Lisicky said he had strong hope for success of bilateral negotiations regarding frontier if occupying powers would declare they have no objections and would welcome direct negotiations.³

Remainder of meeting was devoted to drafting following telegram proposed by Gousev which each deputy agreed to send to his high commissioner in Austria:

[Here follows the text of document C.F.M.(D) (47) (A) 20, January 28, 1947, the text of a telegram to the Allied Commission for Austria, asking for reports on (a) the status of demilitarization in Austria, and (b) the status of displaced persons in Austria.⁴]

Sent Department 627; repeated Vienna 23 (AusPolAd Vienna pass to USFA for information).

[

Clark

]

2. This was the 9th Meeting of the Deputies for Austria. The text of the Czechoslovak statement was circulated to the Deputies as document C.F.M.(D) (47) (A) 21, January 28, 1947, not printed.
3. At their 17th Meeting, February 7, 1947, the Deputies for Austria approved the texts of letters addressed to the Czechoslovak and Austrian Delegations to the Council of Foreign Ministers which stated that direct negotiation between the Czechoslovak and Austrian Governments on the frontier questions would appear very desirable. The texts of these letters were included as annexes to the Record of Decisions of the meeting.
4. The report requested by the Deputies, dated February 7, 1947, was subsequently circulated to the Deputies as document C.F.M.(D) (47) (A) 56, February 12, 1947, not printed. At their 25th Meeting, February 19, 1947, the Deputies agreed to consider the substance of the report as and when matters relating to it came up for discussion.