No. 550

663.001/9–1051: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Legation in Austria 1

top secret
priority

657. Aust treaty will be discussed Sept 13 with Brit and Fr FonMins. Sec will present our plan for breaking existing deadlock in negots by proposing abbreviated treaty text which makes Aust settlement consistent with other moves designed to stabilize Eur such as Ger settlement and plan for revision Italian treaty.

US proposal will be to obtain tripartite agreement as follows: [Page 1128]

1—
That Deps meet probably in Oct to ascertain terms on which Sovs wld conclude present draft treaty. No agreed arts wld be reopened or extraneous issues, like Trieste, discussed.
2—
If Sov Dep restates his previous position and refuses to conclude treaty, to inform him that a dipl approach will be made in Moscow.
3—
To propose through dipl channels to Sov Govt that four powers conclude an abbreviated treaty consisting of certain agreed arts from present draft treaty and one new article changing agreed position on Ger assets.

Brit and Fr concurrence wld be obtained that if new abbreviated treaty text were accepted by Sovs, Western occupation forces wld not be withdrawn until Aust security forces are sufficiently equipped and trained to maintain internal security. Outline of proposed abbreviated treaty contained in NSC 38/62 which you have.

Dept wld appreciate ur comments.3 Has this approach ever been discussed with Gruber? We do not know what Brit and Fr reaction will be as no prelim discussions have been held.

Acheson
  1. Drafted by Williamson and cleared with Perkins and Matthews.
  2. Not printed. For further information, see NSC 38/5 and the editorial note, Foreign Relations, 1950, vol. iv, pp. 387 and 397.
  3. In telegram 974 from Vienna, September 12, Donnelly strongly endorsed this proposal although he warned that we should make no new concessions beyond those already agreed upon. (663.001/9–1951)