Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Austrian State Treaty; Summit and Foreign Ministers Meetings, 1955, Volume V

41. Telegram From the Department of State to the Office of the High Commissioner for Austria¹

Washington, May 1, 1955—6:13 p.m.

3082. Both draft declarations contained your 2532² are considered acceptable within limits of NSC decisions although second version is probably as far as we can go. Therefore you are authorized to seek French and British agreement to both drafts but second version should not be shown to Austrians or Soviets without specific prior approval by Department. You are authorized to utilize your first version in Ambassadors conference as you deem advisable in light of following.

With regard to tactical considerations concerning “guarantee” question raised in your 2533,³ our objective is to avoid having Secretary arrive Vienna with this question remaining unopened. Of course ideal result of this exercise would be complete agreement on this question as well as all others at Ambassadors conference. Our minimum objective should be to smoke out Soviets and Austrians as far as possible on this issue without allowing it to cause Ambassadors conference to flounder. Therefore, if question of guarantee is not broached by Austrians Soviets or other Western powers, you should raise it in whatever manner you think best in accordance with the foregoing (such as asking clarification of Austro-Soviet discussion this matter or tabling your first version of draft declaration etc).

Secretary has suggested some thought be given to the possibility, in event of lack of four-power agreement, that British and French (who are apparently prepared to go farther in matter of guarantees than the U.S.) join Soviets in some form of joint outright guarantee of Austria’s inviolability and integrity while U.S. limit itself to unilateral declaration along lines of your first version. This formula would have advantage of avoiding unilateral Soviet guarantee and could be justified on grounds that UK France and USSR are European powers and have apparently followed practice of giving such guarantees in past whereas U.S. has not—even in connection with NATO. Your views on this possibility would be appreciated.⁴

Dulles

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–VI/4–3055. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Arthur Compton of the Office of Western European Affairs, cleared in substance by Secretary Dulles and Merchant, and signed for the Secretary of State by Jones. Repeated to London, Paris, and Moscow.
2. Supra.
3. Telegram 2533 answered a number of questions about the tactics for the upcoming Ambassadors meeting. (Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–VI/4–3055)
4. On May 2 Thompson cabled that he did not believe the British or French would undertake such a commitment without full U.S. participation. (Telegram 2554 from Vienna; ibid., 396.1–VI/5–255)