Office of the Historian

740.00/7–1050: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State

secret
London, July 10, 1950—3 p. m.

181. At meeting Foreign Office this morning three West deputies Austrian treaty, Mallet1 stated UK would appreciate views of US [Page 776] and French re admission Austria to Council of Europe since Gruber2 had recently raised question in informal conversation Caccia.3 Mallet said that he had discussed matter with Bevin some months ago when there appeared to be some possibility early settlement Austrian treaty. Latter had then taken position that it would be premature for Austria to apply for admission until treaty actually concluded. Subject had not been raised with Bevin since then. Present official level thinking Foreign Office is that question likely to become acute when Germany becomes member of Council of Europe.

Reber4 said he would refer Mallet’s request to Department. Since US is not member Council of Europe, matter is not one on which we are technically qualified to express views. We are, however, indirectly concerned because our interest in furnishing visible evidence Austria’s alignment with West. At same time we must be careful to bear in mind possible Soviet reaction since we do not wish to furnish latter with additional pretext to delay treaty.5

Berthelot6 expressed some doubts as to wisdom of such step at this time.

Sent Department 181, repeated information Vienna 8, Paris 59, Frankfort 31, Moscow 13.

Douglas
  1. Sir William Mallet, United Kingdom Deputy for Austria at the Council of Foreign Ministers.↩
  2. Karl Gruber, Austrian Foreign Minister.↩
  3. Sir Harold Caccia, British High Commissioner for Austria.↩
  4. Samuel Reber, United States Deputy for Austria at the Council of Foreign Ministers.↩
  5. A penciled notation on the Department’s copy of this telegram reads: “Tel amounting to reply sent to London, Paris, Vienna, Frankfort, Moscow, Aug. 8, 1950.” It was signed by Edmund C. Rowan of the Office of Western European Affairs. See telegram 702, August 8, to London, p. 781.↩
  6. Marcel Berthelot, French High Commissioner for Austria.↩