865.4016/11–1647: Telegram
The Minister in Austria ( Erhardt ) to the Secretary of State
1162. Gruber tells me he has as yet no information as to the results of Austro-Italian negotiation in Rome.78 (Re my 1109, November 3)79 on subject of South Tyrolean optants. He has previously mentioned that American Delegation at Paris had given him courage to reach an agreement with De Gasperi. With that in mind, Gruber has mentioned informally twice, when he felt the Italians were obstructing a settlement, he might have to approach the Dept to use its good offices with the Italians so that a settlement could be reached “in spirit of equity and broadmindedness”. The impression was left with him that his policy, which he had enunciated to me so frequently, on endeavoring to reach an amicable settlement bilaterally was admirable and he should not at present desist from his efforts to achieve such a result.
In above circumstances Legation suggests that Dept may wish to defer for the moment transmission of communication to Austrian and Italian Govts quoted in Deptel 917, November 780 and allow channel of communications to continue between Vienna and Rome.81 I fear, should the Dept address itself to both govts at this time, Austrian Foreign Office might take occasion to present grievances to us which may yet be solved by bilateral negotiations.
[Page 1226]As to question of registration of optants in Bavaria, I concur in view of Embassy Rome that Legation should not refuse request of Austrian Foreign Office to act as transmitting agent to govt US zone Germany. A modification of phraseology of the note to clarify point that Bavarian Government is not being addressed could be arranged before transmission. This Legation would inform the Italian Govt of this action through the Rome Embassy and so notify Austrian Foreign Office as suggested in Rome’s 3373, October 23.82
On the subject of registration Gruber has told me he regarded it as necessary from the point of view of Tyrolean public opinion that registration machinery could be set up expeditiously outside as well as inside Austria to offer facilities for entirely voluntary registration and that Foreign Office is hampered by lack of knowledge of the number optants may wish to return. Gruber has contended that the Austrian and Italian Govts cannot, even should their bilateral negotiations make substantial progress, complete necessary arrangements for the return of the South Tyroleans until they know the number. Legation concurs in view expressed in third paragraph of draft note quoted in Deptel 917 that under terms of annex IV of Italian Peace Treaty Austria has participating interest in liquidation of entire problem created by population transfers under Hitler-Mussolini Agreement of 1938, including disposition of Tyrolean optants in Bavaria.
Sent Dept, repeated Rome as 53, Berlin as 91.
- Telegram 3897, December 3, from Rome, not printed, reported that an Italian Foreign Ministry official had stated that recently completed Austrian-Italian conversations regarding the South Tyrol had been characterized by a spirit of real cooperation and had concluded satisfactorily. The discussions had centered on a draft Italian law regulating conditions for the return to Italy of former Italian citizens who had opted to go to Germany under the Mussolini-Hitler agreement of 1938 (865.4016/12–347).↩
- Not printed.↩
- Supra.↩
- Telegram 978, November 28, to Vienna, repeated to Rome as 2476 and to Berlin as 2392, not printed, reported that the Department had decided, on the basis of this message from Vienna as well as messages from Rome and Berlin, not to proceed with the approach proposed in telegram 917, November 7, to Vienna (supra). The Department explained that it did not wish in any way to obstruct the channel of communication between the Austrian and Italian Governments or to take any action which might suggest United States intervention or jeopardize the satisfactory conclusion of the current bilateral negotiations (865.4016/11–2047).↩
- Not printed.↩