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

663.001/12–1552

No. 858
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)¹

top secret

[Washington,] March 27, 1953.

Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference is made to Mr. Foster’s letter of December 15, 1952² outlining, in response to this Department’s earlier request, the views of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff with respect to the security factors involved in the conclusion of an Austrian Treaty and the withdrawal of occupation forces from Austria.

Immediately upon the receipt of the letter under reference, the views of the Department of Defense were communicated to the United States Delegation at the United Nations General Assembly. As recommended the United States representative was instructed that any resolution calling for the unconditional withdrawal of occupation forces should receive United States support “only if amended to make withdrawal simultaneous and conditional upon Four Power agreement as well as upon relinquishment by the Soviet Union of control over so-called German external assets in Austria”. Fortunately no resolution of this type was introduced and the issue did not, therefore, arise in the United Nations General Assembly discussions.

The Brazilian resolution, supported by this Government, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 20, 1952.³ This resolution addressed an earnest appeal to the Governments of the four Powers which occupy Austria to make a renewed and urgent effort to reach agreement on the terms of an Austrian Treaty with a view to an early termination of the occupation. In an effort to implement the United Nations General Assembly Resolution, two meetings of the Austrian Treaty Deputies were held in London, on February 6 and February 9, on the initiative of the United States Government.⁴ No progress was made at either meeting because of the insistence of the Soviet Deputy that the abbreviated treaty be withdrawn before any other matter could be considered. The Soviet attitude at these meetings confirmed the impression that the Soviet Government has no present intention of concluding an Austrian settlement on any basis whatever. Future Western treaty tactics are now being discussed with the British and French and will be coordinated with the new Austrian Government.

In view of our unsuccessful efforts to conclude an Austrian settlement, it is considered desirable that a review be made of this Government’s policy in Austria. Such a review should, I believe, include the matters referred to in the letter under acknowledgment and in the enclosures thereto. I concur in the suggestion that these matters should form the basis of mutual consultation between our respective Departments and representatives of the Department of State will be pleased to meet with representatives of your Department at any time you may consider appropriate. This Department now has in the course of preparation a draft NSC paper on Austria⁵ which it is believed may serve as a basis for these interdepartmental discussions.

Sincerely yours,

Walter B. Smith

1. Drafted by E. P. Allen and Nes and cleared by Collins, Byington, and Bonbright.
2. Document 837.
3. Regarding the U.N. resolution, see Document 840.
4. For reports on these meetings, see telegrams 4371 and 4399 from London, Documents 846 and 847.
5. Reference to NSC 164, approved by the National Security Council on Oct. 13, and by the President the following day. The amended revision as approved by the President was circulated as NSC 164/1. For text, see Document 895.