863.00/9–949: Telegram
The United States High Commissioner for Austria (Keyes) to the Department of the Army
priority
PC 21593. JCS pass to State from PACG signed Keyes.
- 1.
- Subject is Executive Committee action of 9 September on Austrian elections.
- 2.
- Subject of discussion was following letter from Federal
Chancellor dated 31 August (reported in our P 38151):
[Here follows a request by the Austrian Federal Government that the Allied Council guarantee completely free electioneering for the forthcoming elections and confirm that these should be held exclusively in pursuance of Austrian laws.]
- 3.
- The US Deputy Commissioner endeavored to secure adoption of
the following reply:
“The Executive Committee, on behalf of the Allied Council, agreed that electioneering pursuant to the Austrian Federal Constitution and the Austrian laws will be free from interference or restriction by the Allied Council or any element and the legality of the elections held exclusively in pursuance of Austrian laws will not be subject to challenge by the Allied Council or any element”.
This was rejected by the Soviet member who declined to explain his refusal to safeguard the election results. After a lengthy discussion, the following reply was agreed and dispatched to the Chancellor:
“The Executive Committee, on behalf of the Allied Council, declares that the elections which will take place throughout Austria on 9 October will be conducted in accordance with the electoral law of 1949, which was passed by the Austrian Parliament and which the Allied Council approved on 24 June and accordingly notified the Austrian Government by letter (SEC A 49/762), dated 24 June 1949. The Executive Committee agrees that electioneering groups (wahl-werbende Parteien) may participate freely in the elections in accordance with the Austrian electoral law of 1949”.