740.0011EW (Peace)/9–1749
The Secretary of State
to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs (
Schuman
)
secret
Washington
, September 17,
1949.
My Dear Mr. Minister: You will recall that
at our meeting on September 151 it was
agreed that a memorandum should be prepared summarizing the
conclusions reached with respect to the outstanding issues of the
Austrian Treaty, which could serve as a basis for continued
negotiations and for any possible informal discussions of the Treaty
with the Soviet Foreign Minister. The enclosed memorandum represents
our understanding of the agreements reached. I should be grateful
for any comments you may care to make or for your confirmation.
I am sending the same communication to Mr. Bevin.
Sincerely yours,
[Enclosure]
Memorandum Prepared in the Department of
State
secret
[
Washington
, undated.]
On September 15, 1949 the three Ministers discussed the remaining
unagreed issues in the Austrian Treaty and procedure for further
negotiations. Agreement was reached on the following points:
- 1.
- The Deputies will reconvene their conference in New York
about September 22. They will ascertain whether, as a result
of the joint diplomatic demarche in Moscow, there has been
any change in the Soviet position on the unagreed issues in
the Treaty. If no change materializes in the Soviet position
which will permit conclusion of the Treaty, the three
Ministers are prepared informally to discuss with the Soviet
Foreign Minister the principles involved in the existing
disagreements and to seek a final settlement consistent with
the agreement reached in Paris on June 20, 1949.2
- 2.
-
The Ministers agreed on the basic position which will be
adopted by the Delegations of the US, UK and France in
meeting the Soviet claims on the various unagreed
articles and recommended specific [Page 1155] changes which could
be made in previous positions in order to facilitate
agreement. The specific points are as follows:
-
a. Article 16—Displaced Persons
and Refugees. The Ministers agreed that no
compromise could be made which would prejudice the
principle of voluntary repatriation or which would
place Austria in a position requiring repatriation
of displaced persons and refugees against their
will. An effort will be made to eliminate the entire
article from the Treaty, and failing this to
eliminate the objectionable paragraphs as proposed
by the Soviet Delegation.
-
b. Articles 26 and 27—Military
Clauses. The Ministers agreed that they could
not accept the Soviet proposal prohibiting Austria
from employing foreign technicians in military and
civil aviation and in the experimentation, design,
manufacture and maintenance of war material.
Similarly, the position of the three Western
Delegations must be maintained with respect to the
three annexes attached to Article 27.
It was agreed that the Soviets would be
approached on a governmental level at the time of
the signing of the Austrian Treaty for the purpose
of obtaining their agreement to the initiation of
the Austrian Armed Forces program in consonance
with the provisions of the Treaty.
-
c. Article 35—German
Assets. The Ministers agreed that a further
effort would be made to obtain agreement on the
German assets settlement by insisting on Soviet
adherence to the Paris agreement. An effort would
be made to secure an equitable distribution of the
oil exploration area by acceptance of Western
proposals for a division of the Gross Entzersdorf
field and to secure acceptance of the provision
that the Lobau-Zistersdorf pipe line shall remain
under Austrian jurisdiction to be used jointly by
Soviet enterprises. If such a settlement can be
reached the Ministers saw no objection to
accepting the present Soviet claims for refineries
in Austria.
On the question of Danube shipping the Ministers
agreed that the Western Delegations should
maintain their original position that the Soviet
Union receive only the assets held by the DDSG and that they be
bound by the terms of the leases.
On the transportation equipment, it was agreed
that the question of assuring sufficient rolling
stock to Austria must be discussed, as provided
for in the Paris negotiations, and an equitable
settlement be reached.
It was agreed that the provision for appointment
of a third arbitrator by the Secretary-General of
the United Nations is an important element in the
German assets settlement but the Ministers decided
that they wished to examine this question before
agreeing on a fixed position.
-
d. Article 42—It was agreed
that the Treaty must contain satisfactory provisions
respecting the restitution of United Nations
property, rights and interests.
-
e. Article 48—It was agreed
that the Soviet proposal concerning the payment of
pre-Anschluss debts by Austria could not be
accepted.
-
f. Article 48 bis—The Soviet
proposal cannot be accepted and the Western position
should be maintained pending satisfactory outcome of
the current bilateral negotiations between Austria
and the Soviet Union respecting Soviet claims for
relief supplies and services.3
