Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XVII, Eastern Europe

198. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, November 29, 1965, 11:30 a.m.

SUBJECT

• Developments in Eastern Europe

PARTICIPANTS

• Austria
  • Dr. Josef Klaus—Federal Chancellor of Austria
  • Dr. Ernst Lemberger—Austrian Ambassador to the United States
  • Dr. Franz Karasek—Chief of the Federal Chancellery
  • Dr. Gerald Hinteregger—Counselor of the Austrian Embassy, Washington
  • Dr. Thomas Klestil—Economic and Scientific Secretary of the Austrian Embassy, Washington
• United States
  • Mr. John M. Leddy—Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs
  • Mr. LeRoy F. Percival—Deputy Director, Office of Atlantic Political-Economic Affairs
  • Mr. David Popper—Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs
  • Mr. Raymond E. Lisle—Director, Office of Eastern European Affairs
  • Mr. Julius Katz—Director, Office of International Trade
  • Mr. Edgar J. Beigel—Acting Director, Office of Western European Affairs
  • Mr. Arthur D. Foley—Officer in Charge of Austrian-Swiss Affairs
  • Mr. Herbert Spielman—Economic Officer for Italian-Austrian Affairs
  • Mr. Harry Obst—Office of Language Services
  • Mr. William Krimer—Office of Language Services

Mr. Leddy asked how the Chancellor sees recent developments in Eastern Europe. Development of U.S. relations with the Soviets, he said, are somewhat impeded by the Vietnam war. The U.S. would like to continue normal exchanges with the Soviets but we are meeting with a difficult attitude. This attitude is reflected only in part in Eastern Europe and differs from country to country. The U.S. would like to relax tensions and improve trade relations with Eastern Europe.

Chancellor Klaus stated that this is a most important subject for Austria. Austria conducts an active Eastern European policy, particularly since the normalization of its relations with Eastern Europe.

Seen from Austria, the Chancellor continued, those countries of Eastern Europe, which in 1945 turned completely toward the East, are now turning back toward Western Europe as toward an old family. The governments are permitting more liberalization but, he noted, the government leaders are in no way turning from Communism. However, a healthy climate is being created and Austria wishes to take advantage of it. Austrians find that old traditional relations with the former members of the Hapsburg Empire permit them a special entree. Austrian administration in these lands is well remembered, and this makes discussions for the Austrians easier.

Human contacts between Austrians and other Eastern Europeans are increasing, the Chancellor said. 100,000 Austrians have friends or families in Eastern Europe. Crossing the borders is made easier and real human contacts can be made. Austrians now go to Yugoslavia on vacation and many thousands of Austrians go to Hungary and many Hungarians now visit Austria. The Chancellor said that on summer evenings in some parts of Vienna one can hear more Eastern European languages being spoken than German. The Chancellor noted that cultural exchanges in things German are easier through Austria for the Eastern Europeans than directly with Germany.

The Chancellor said that economic relations with Eastern Europe are making progress. Austrian-Rumanian trade has quadrupled in recent years. The Austrian Government realizes that this does not necessarily improve relations; politics for the communist countries comes before trade and Austria cannot become dependent on Eastern European trade.

Austria actively cultivates official exchanges with Eastern Europe, the Chancellor said. He said he had invited this year to Austria the prime ministers of Poland and Rumania and he himself had had an interesting visit to Yugoslavia. For the time being, he is not accepting invitations to the other Eastern European countries since he wants the officials of those lands to come to Austria first.

In response to a question from Mr. Leddy about Czechoslovakia, the Chancellor said that relations here are difficult. Austria first normalized its relations with Yugoslavia, reached an agreement on Carinthia, then the Government reached property agreements with Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Hungary. However, no property agreement has been reached with Czechoslovakia. He explained that since the days of the Hapsburg monarchy, Austria-Czechoslovakian property has been closely intertwined and that large sums of money are involved. This, he said, makes reaching an agreement difficult.

As regards Poland, the Chancellor said Austria has no difficulties. A large Austrian cultural institute has been established in Poland and cultural exchanges are going on, as well as increased trade.

Mr. Lisle asked for the Chancellor’s assessment of the status of the Catholic Church in Eastern Europe and relations with the Vatican.

The Chancellor said that status of the Catholic Church differs from country to country. In Poland improvement of relations with the Vatican has come the farthest. Relations with Yugoslavia are somewhat tense but an agreement is being negotiated. The Chancellor said he had visited the Archbishop in Belgrade but had not seen the Cardinal in Zagreb. Vatican relations with Czechoslovakia are normalizing and in Hungary Cardinal Mindszenty is the only remaining problem. Rumania, the government which has in many respects gone further in normalizing other things, has been the most difficult for the Catholic Church. Four bishops have died in prison and one is now under house arrest. The Chancellor said that Austrian Cardinal Koenig has attempted to establish relations with the Catholic hierarchy in each of the Eastern European countries. He has had good relations with them at the Ecumenical Council.

Mr. Lisle asked about the newspaper reports that Rumania wants to act as a mediator in Vietnam. Chancellor Klaus said that in the four hours of his discussions with Maurer the question of mediation was not mentioned. He said apparently Maurer mentioned this only while traveling in Western Austria. There is no question, Klaus said, of either Austria or Rumania acting as mediator. Maurer did criticize U.S.-Vietnam policy. The Chancellor said that Austria has stated that it is interested in securing peace but he noted that Foreign Minister Kreisky had said that no solution to Vietnam is possible without U.S. prestige being protected.

Mr. Karasek said that so as not to create a false impression he wished to emphasize that the Austrian Government had not discussed mediation in Vietnam with the Rumanians. He has tried to check the source of these reports of Maurer’s alleged statements. The reports seemed to have been the conclusions of a reporter who had heard several of Maurer’s statements on Vietnam. Other reporters who had heard Maurer on the same occasions had not confirmed this conclusion.

Chancellor Klaus said that there can be no mediation unless both sides request it. He added that visitors to the West from the East have repeatedly tried to get the Austrian Government to denounce U.S.-Vietnam policies and the Austrians have at all times rejected this.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 2 EUR E. Confidential. Drafted by Foley, on December 12. The meeting was held at the Department of State. Klaus visited Washington November 28–29. Memoranda of his conversation with Rusk on November 29, dealing with peace efforts, the Asian Development Bank, and Austria’s foreign policy, are ibid., POL AUS–US. A memorandum of his conversation with Vice President Humphrey on November 29, dealing with the EEC and East Europe, is ibid., Presidential Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 70 D 217, VP/Memcon.