Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Germany and Austria, Volume VII, Part 2

763.00/3–1753: Telegram

No. 856
The United States High Commissioner for Austria (Thompson) to the Department of State¹

secret

Vienna, March 17, 1953—7 p.m.

2716. British, French and US HICOMs have been in almost daily touch regarding Austrian Government negotiations. At meeting today, following receipt Deptel 2713 March 16,² there was agreement that our current informal efforts to hasten formation two-party government should be continued, but that no wider action, such as is apparently contemplated by French Embassy Washington, should be undertaken.

Talks between two parties are approaching critical stage, and it seems likely that Figl will give up attempt to form government unless he succeeds this week. Federal President would then have to decide whether to call upon another PP representative (Raab and Gruber have been mentioned) or Socialist representative (presumably Schaerf) to attempt form government. PP leaders are now saying that if effort to form two-party government fails, PP will probably propose minority government of PP only with expectation it could survive until autumn, when new elections would be held.

Although situation is unclear, owing to reluctance of either PP or Socialists to put all their cards on table, only issue on Cabinet now seems to be whether PP will agree to another Socialist State Secretary post, perhaps in Foreign Office, in addition to appointment of Socialist as President of General Accounting Office (Oberrechnungshof), which PP is apparently prepared to concede. Raab seems adamant on maintenance of status quo in actual Cabinet posts; Socialists have asked for Minister of Education, but have implied they would settle for State Secretary as set forth above. There is some suspicion that Raab wishes to eliminate Figl, and that his strategy is to allow latter to fail in his attempt to form government as best means of accomplishing this.

Thompson

1. Repeated to Paris.
2. Telegram 2713 instructed Thompson to continue his informal efforts, in coordination with the British and French, to hasten the early establishment of a coalition government in Austria. It also noted that a French Embassy official visited the Department of State and expressed the desire of the French Government to exert tripartite pressure in Vienna on both parties to reach a prompt agreement. (763.00/3–1353)