Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Central and Southeastern Europe, Volume XXVI

37. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, December 6, 1957¹

Washington, December 6, 1957

SUBJECT

• South Tyrol

PARTICIPANTS

• Dr. Karl Gruber, Ambassador of Austria
• EUR—Mr. Jandrey
• WE—Mr. Chapin

Ambassador Gruber called at his request on Mr. Jandrey to inform him of developments on the South Tyrol question. The Ambassador referred to an article in the New York Times of December 5 which stated that in a debate in the Austrian Parliament, Foreign Minister Figl had indicated that if direct talks with Italian representatives did not result in acceptable progress on the South Tyrol question, it might be necessary as a last resort to bring the issue before the United Nations. Ambassador Gruber said he had received instructions to raise the South Tyrol question with the Department. Foreign Minister Pella² and Minister Figl had agreed in New York in September to conduct negotiations on South Tyrol following the Italian elections scheduled for the spring of 1958, but the situation had deteriorated since the agreement was reached. Ambassador Gruber said that an informal indication by the United States to the Italian Government that the problem should be resolved by direct talks would be useful.

Mr. Jandrey replied that he had had an opportunity to hear Dr. Gschnitzer’s³ views on the South Tyrol question, when the latter was here in September. He had told Dr. Gschnitzer that the United States position was that the problem should be resolved by direct talks between Italy and Austria and that he did not see that there had been any significant change in the situation since then. He did not believe that raising the South Tyrol question in an international forum would contribute to the settlement of the problem and pointed out that it would only benefit the extremists on both sides.

Ambassador Gruber did not specifically request an informal approach to Foreign Minister Pella, and the Ambassador later indicated to Mr. Chapin that his instructions were not very precise. The Ambassador believed, however, that some informal indication of United States interest in a settlement of the South Tyrol question by Ambassador Zellerbach⁴ or other officers of the United States Embassy at Rome to their Italian friends would be helpful.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 765.022/12–657. Official Use Only. Drafted by Seldin Chapin.
2. Giuseppe Pella, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
3. Franz Gschnitzer, Austrian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Office of the Federal Chancellor.
4. James D. Zellerbach, Ambassador to Italy.