298. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State0
218. When I arrived at Austrian Embassy last night Raab immediately took me aside and said that he regretted that he had been unable to accept my invitation because Soviets had objected and he hoped I would understand. I said I fully understood but said what I did not understand was his remark at the airport about the State Treaty.1 He merely said that this was later modified, referring apparently to the wording used at official lunch which was published in yesterday’s press.
All other members of Austrian Delegation, both Socialist and People’s Party, sought me out to express their distress at Arab’s remarks. Socialists emphasized that they knew nothing about it in advance. Haymerle said that Raab was a sick man and that ever since his stroke he had been doing things like this which had made him many enemies. All expressed the hope that these few words would not affect Austro-American relations.
Figl and Fuchs stated Khrushchev had said Soviet Union did not wish to embarrass Austria in any way and had made no political demands. Soviets offered economic aid in event of a depression to which Raab had said they did not have one nor did they expect one.
Kreisky said Khrushchev spent over six hours with them yesterday and he was three and a half hours at Polish Embassy. He did not understand how he could get his work done nor do I.
In conversation with Davis, Meznik, Chief Press Section Federal Chancellery, said Soviets were not prepared to reduce Austrian oil deliveries, pleading long–term contractual relations with satellites, but as concession had offered deliver 500, 000 tons per annum Soviet oil to Austrian border. Communiqué due to be signed late afternoon July 242 and only few details remain to be worked out regarding wording of announcement re oil deliveries and reference war prisoners question. Meznik said although Soviets agreed in principle pay freight costs oil deliveries to Austrian border and agreed to specific standard of oil, they did not wish to make this explicit in communiqué itself and he thought compromise would be reached by separate letter specifying these details. Soviets will of course not admit they have any Austrian war prisoners [Page 772] but Meznik thought some reference would be made to ability of claimants to Austrian citizenship to apply for repatriation. He and other members of delegation asserted that Soviets had not pressed Austrians for inclusion in communiqué any statements which might be embarrassing.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.63/7–2458. Secret. Repeated to Vienna.↩
- See Document 299.↩
- For text of the Austro-Soviet communiqué, issued at the conclusion of Raab’s visit, see Mayrzedt and Hummer, eds., 20 Jahre, pp. 138-140.↩