Office of the Historian

740.00119 Council/4–1448: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Legation in Austria

top secret   us urgent
Washington, April 14, 1948—4 p. m.

344. Keyes and Yost Eyes Only. For consideration here in light comments Vienna, Berlin and Moscow, Dept is telegraphing you draft communication1 for possible presentation Moscow (urtel 476 Apr 142). In Berlin greatest Soviet pressure is against US whereas it appears from Vienna Situation Report No. 42 primary pressure [Page 1418] Vienna at present time is upon Brit. US expects Brit support re Berlin and will be willing to furnish them our support re Vienna. Consequently we feel initiative in any protest re Vienna should come from Brit whom we should be ready to back up. Unless Brit or USDel strongly favor action, we question desirability raising matter transit rights in London treaty discussions at present time or US taking lead in Allied Council.

Sent Vienna as 344; rptd London as 1312 Ausdel 15 for Reber Eyes Only.

Lovett
  1. Transmitted in telegram 402, April 14, to Moscow, not printed (740.00119 Control (Germany)/4–1448). For the text of this draft, see telegram 1423, April 22, to London, p. 896, and footnotes thereto.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Not printed.↩