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

663.001/12–1654: Telegram

No. 950
The Acting United States High Commissioner for Austria (Penfield) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Vienna, December 16, 1954—3 p.m.

1311. British and French HICOMs have given Embassy copies of despatches to respective Foreign Offices outlining their preliminary views re terms for troop evacuation et cetera in connection with treaty. These being forwarded together with our comments by despatch including replies to questions raised Deptel 1617.²

Embassy agrees no need for haste in promoting tripartite exploration technical details future west negotiating positions. Would prefer first weigh and establish US views, awaiting meanwhile British and French initiative.

Apparent here, as elsewhere in Europe, rigid negative attitude Soviets during period before outcome ratification Paris agreements make unlikely any progress on state treaty.

For example Chancellery press officer told Embassy official that Soviet HICOM summoned Schaerf to meeting December 9 for apparent prime purpose of stating that German rearmament would be major obstacle to conclusion of Austrian treaty. Accompanying lecture stressed danger inherent in London-Paris agreements and concluded with warning that Austrian Government should be aware of adverse effect on treaty and “take it into account”.

Ilyichev asked for confirmation of statements by Raab appearing in press (presumably those re necessity of postponing treaty negotiations till after ratification). Schaerf expressed his dependency on same source for information and suggested Soviet HICOM ask Raab upon latter’s return.

Referring to recent French Moscow démarche on Austrian treaty,³ Ilyichev branded this a “maneuver” which “had no chance of success”.

As result of this interview as well as latest Soviet note⁴ and Molotov speech,⁵ Austrian officials are resigned to conclusion Soviets are concentrating all efforts on frustration Paris agreements and will make no more conciliatory moves with regard to Austria before outcome of ratification procedures is clear.

Penfield

1. Repeated to Moscow, Paris, and London.
2. Same as telegram 3126 to London, Document 948.
3. Reference to the unilateral French démarche at Moscow on Dec. 7. According to Henri Ruffin, Counselor of the French Embassy in Washington, the French démarche “had achieved nothing.” (Memorandum of conversation by Freund, Dec. 14, 663.001/12–1454)
4. Reference to the Soviet note of Nov. 13 concerning European security. See Document 531.
5. Presumably a reference to Molotov’s speech of Nov. 29 at the opening session of the Conference on European Security in Moscow.