740.00119 Council/3–2247: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State
957. Delsec 1334. Personal for Acheson. We may be able to complete a draft of the treaty with Austria at Moscow. Discussion of the preamble will raise the question of who are to be parties to the treaty as all active belligerents were invited to present their views to the deputies at London and the following expressed written or oral views on the Austrian treaty: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Ukraine SSR and Yugoslavia. There has been no insistent demand for a special conference on the Austrian treaty except from Australia. I know the importance which Senator Vandenberg attaches to consultation on as broad a base as possible with our allies in any discussions of a German settlement with which I am in full accord. In view of his responsibilities in connection with the ratification of any Austrian treaty will you discuss the matter with him and ascertain whether it would be agreeable to him for us to proceed on the assumption that the Austrian treaty may be completed and signed by the four states here and then circulated for signature or adherence by other countries thereafter. The treaty would contain provision as in the satellite treaties that it would come into force upon ratification by the four.
This procedure would have the great advantage of expediting the termination of the occupation of Austria and likewise terminating the presence of troops in Rumania and Hungary to protect Soviet lines of communication. Because of the fact that the treaty with Austria is not a “peace treaty”, because of the fact that many of the proposals involved were thoroughly considered at the Paris Conference in the settlement of the satellite treaties and because of the fact that the states most immediately concerned have had a chance to present their views at London, we hope that the conditions necessary for the withdrawal of troops from Austria, Rumania and Hungary will not be added to by any extensive further conference. We know furthermore that the [Page 276] Austrian Government, which is one of the few governments in that area of Europe truly representative of the people of the country, attaches great importance to the early final conclusion of the treaty.
We would, of course, make clear that Austrian treaty procedure establishes no precedent for Germany and that we plan to insist on a peace conference for the German settlement.
Mr. Dulles concurs.