740.00119 Council/4–2649: Telegram

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

secret

1401.1 Ausdel 51. For Reber. Fol instrs are issued to you for future negots Aust Treaty:

In review of unagreed articles of Treaty you will be guided by basic principles transmitted in Hickerson’s ltr Jan 24 with its accompanying documents.2 Objective current review of unagreed articles [Page 1090] shld be to obtain maximum agreement possible and to test Sov intentions on major problem of ultimate conclusion of Treaty. In any question involving total obligation which Austria will bear as result Treaty US position shld be reserved until final settlement is made both of frontiers and Yugo claim for reparations.

You shld seek to ascertain effect on negots of withdrawal of annexes to mil clauses by Fr and renunciation of claims for reparations from Ger assets in Western zones by three Western Powers. If such proposals or any others contained in gen instrs do not facilitate agreement, you are requested to center further discussion on question of frontiers and reparations. If Sov Delegation does not relax its position on Yugo claims you may seek an adjournment of present conference to be resumed at a later time on such terms which will not prejudice future discussions. An outright break either initiated by Western states or of such nature as to place blame on Western states shld be avoided. Therefore, you are authorized formulate plans in coordination with Brit and Fr and with concurrence Aust officials to an adjournment to a time which wld be more appropriate for negots in terms of Aust internal development and gen internatl situation. You may discuss this question with appropriate authorities in Brit and Fr FonOffs. Close coordination shld be maintained with Gen Keyes and Erhardt. Timing of this action and nature of adjournment are left your discretion.

If such an adjournment materializes US Leg Vienna, and US Emb, Belgrade, are requested formulate recommendations as to possible steps which might be taken by Aust or by Western Powers through dipl channels to achieve modification of Yugo demands prior to resumption negots. Recommendations also requested from US Leg Vienna and USFA for possible action (Vienna’s 417 April 163) under terms art 14 New Control Agreement.

Acheson
  1. Repeated to Vienna as 389 and Belgrade as 199.
  2. For the text of the basic principles, see the Instructions to the United States Deputy for Austria at the Council of Foreign Ministers, January 14, p. 1067. Hickerson’s letter and the remaining accompanying documents are not printed.
  3. Supra.