186. Telegram From the Embassy in Austria to the Department of State0
953. South Tyrol. In conversation today with Foreign Office Political Director Waldheim, Embassy received impression Austrians satisfied with way things went on South Tyrol at UNGA1 and with conditions established for holding October 23 meeting between Kreisky and Piccioni in Geneva. They expect no great results from meeting, but see it as useful in getting two governments together again in reasonably cordial atmosphere. More important consideration is what contents Rossi Commission report will be, and whether report will be approved unanimously by Commission, thereby making it easier for Italian Government accept. Waldheim said he believes report is serious attempt [Page 393] solve problem, but difficulty is that it responds to only about two-thirds South Tyrol complaints.
From Waldheim’s comments we gather that Austrian Foreign Office, at least, fervently hopes Rossi report will be accepted by Italian Government and that political leaders South Tyrol can muster necessary support for it. If this should happen, Foreign Office envisages Austrian-Italian agreed report to UN and establishment some kind of international arbitration to settle any disputes arising from implementation agreement. While projecting this optimistic-sounding schedule, Waldheim repeated his basic doubts about whether agreement could actually be reached between Tyroleans and Italians.