313. Memorandum of Conversation0

SUBJECT

  • Austria and European Economic Cooperation

[Here follows the same list of participants as Document 312.]

The Secretary said that the closer ties which were being created in Europe within the Common Market should also result in wider ties, particularly economic ones, between the six countries in the Common Market and the eleven other OEEC countries. He could understand that Austria felt that it might be threatened by developments within the Six.

Dr. Pittermann replied that Austria wanted to associate itself with the Free Trade Area and preferred the larger union.

The Secretary said that his experience was that measures in other parts of the world which increased economic unity, although they seemed initially as if they would result in a curtailment of United States exports, actually resulted in an expansion of economic activity which ended up by helping United States exports. He hoped and expected that the same result would occur with regard to the Common Market.

Dr. Pittermann expressed general agreement but said that the Common Market should not become an instrument of separation but rather of cooperation.

  1. Source: Department of State, Austria Desk Files: Lot 68 D 123. Official Use Only. Drafted by Chapin. See also Document 312.