83. GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 613 (VII),

DECEMBER 20, 19521

The General Assembly,

Recalling the terms of resolution 190 (III) of 3 November 1948,2 whereby an appeal was made to the great Powers to renew their efforts to compose their differences and establish a lasting peace,

Recalling the terms of the Moscow Declaration of 1 November 1943,3 whereby the Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America recognized that Austria should be reestablished as a free and independent State,

Recalling further that the Government of France joined the three above-mentioned Governments in the said declaration as of 16 November 1943,*

Considering that, in the spirit of the said declaration, the four Powers accepted the responsibility of re-establishing a free and independent Austria, and, to that end, have entered into negotiations towards the conclusion of an Austrian treaty,

Noting with concern that those negotiations, which have been under way intermittently since 1947, have hitherto failed to bring about the proposed objective,

Taking into account that such a state of affairs, still prevailing after a lapse of seven years since the liberation of Austria at the end of the Second World War, and arising from the inconclusive stage of the aforementioned negotiations, does constitute a source of deep disappointment for the Austrian people, who have by themselves made successful efforts towards the restoration and democratic reconstruction of their country,

Recognizing that only through the unhampered exercise by the Austrian people of their freedom and independence can these efforts attain full realization,

Taking further into account that such a state of affairs hinders the full participation by Austria in the normal and peaceful relations of the community of nations and the full exercise of the powers inherent in its sovereignty,

Having in mind that the solution of this problem would constitute an important step towards the elimination of other areas of disagreement and therefore towards the creation of conditions favourable to the accomplishment of world peace,

Desiring to contribute to the strengthening of international peace and security and the developing of friendly relations among nations in conformity with the Purposes and Principles of the Charter,

Addresses an earnest appeal to the Governments concerned to make U.N. General Assembly, Official Records, Seventh Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/2361), pp. 5-6. See also tripartite report to the U.N. Secretary-General, Nov. 19, 1954; infra, pp. 1877-1881.

2 U.N. General Assembly, Official Records, Third Session, Part I, Resolutions (A/810), pp. 15-16.

3 A Decade of American Foreign Policy, p. 11.

See Recueil de textes à l'usage des conférences de la paix, (Paris, 1946) p. 123.

a renewed and urgent effort to reach agreement on the terms of an Austrian treaty with a view to an early termination of the occupation of Austria and the full exercise by Austria of the powers inherent in its sovereignty.

84. NOTE FROM THE AMERICAN EMBASSY AT MOSCOW TO THE SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTRY, JANUARY 12, 19531

The United Nations General Assembly on December 20, 1952, adopted a resolution addressing an earnest appeal to the Governments of the Four Powers which occupy Austria to make a renewed and urgent effort to reach an agreement on the terms of an Austrian Treaty with a view to an early termination of the occupation.2

The United Nations General Assembly resolution emphasizes the world-wide support for Austria's plea for the restoration of her full freedom and sovereignty. The United States Government which has in the past urged and continues to urge full Austrian independence and sovereignty not only welcomes this resolution but also considers that it imposes an additional and immediate obligation on each of the Four Powers to give renewed and urgent consideration to the fulfillment of their pledge made in the Moscow Declaration of 1943.

The United States Government for its part urges that every effort be made now to conclude a Four Power Treaty. It is proposed, therefore, rather than to continue the sterile exchange of notes, the most recent of which is the Soviet Government's note of September 27, 1952,3 that a meeting of the Austrian Treaty Deputies be held at an early date for the purpose of concluding an Austrian Treaty. Since the United States Deputy will be in the chair at this meeting, he will request the Secretary General of the Austrian Treaty Deputies to issue invitations for an early meeting of the Four Deputies in London.

85. NOTE FROM THE AMERICAN EMBASSY AT MOSCOW TO THE SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTRY, JANUARY 29, 1953 5

The United States Government acknowledges the receipt of the Soviet note of January 27 and wishes to reaffirm its desire to comply with the United Nations General Assembly resolution of December 20, 1952 which called upon the Four Powers to make a renewed and urgent effort to reach agreement on the terms of an Austrian treaty Department of State Bulletin, Jan. 26, 1953, p. 135. Similar notes were sent by the British and French Embassies.

2 Supra.

See Documents on American Foreign Relations, 1952 (New York, 1953), pp. 271-273.

Samuel Reber, Jr.

Department of State Bulletin, Feb. 16, 1953, p. 260. The British and French Embassies sent similar notes.

Ibid.,

pp. 260-261.

Supra, doc. 83.

with a view to an early termination of the occupation of Austria and the full exercise by Austria of the powers inherent in her sovereignty. With this purpose in mind, the United States Government called a meeting of the treaty deputies for January 30 in London in order to conclude an Austrian treaty. The United States Government notes that the Soviet Government declares its readiness subject, however, to certain conditions, to take part in a meeting to discuss the Austrian problem. The United States Government for its part does not consider it appropriate to impose prior conditions, as proposed by the Soviet Government, as to the scope of these discussions. It reiterates its readiness to discuss, without prior conditions, any and all matters relevant to the speedy conclusion of a treaty. To that end, it repeats the invitation to the Soviet deputy to attend a meeting on January 30, but is prepared if the Soviet Government should prefer, to postpone the meeting until February 6.

86. STATEMENT TO THE PRESS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FEBRUARY 10, 19531

[In answer to questions concerning the meetings of the Austrian treaty deputies at London on February 6 and February 9, Michael J. McDermott, Special Assistant for Press Relations, made the following statement:]

Andrei Gromyko furnished further proof that the Soviet Union. has no intention of concluding an Austrian treaty and desires that Austria continue as an occupied country. During yesterday's meeting, the Western deputies had repeated the simple fact that they had met to agree on an Austrian treaty. The French chairman [Etienne de Crouy-Chanel] suggested that anything could be discussed that would lead to a treaty. He proposed that the long draft treaty be discussed inasmuch as he assumed that the Soviet Government had expressed its readiness to conclude a treaty on the basis of this draft only.

2

Mr. Gromyko, however, again insisted that no discussion could take place until the so-called abbreviated treaty was withdrawn. He refused to be budged even after the Western deputies declared that they might withdraw the abbreviated treaty if a just and equitable treaty could be concluded on any other basis, including the long draft, without further delay. The Western deputies in fact formally proposed that discussion begin by going through that draft, the long draft. When the Soviet representative saw no way out, he simply said: "I have nothing to add to my previous position.'

The Western deputies then agreed that no further purpose would be served in continuing discussions made futile by Mr. Gromyko's position and agreed to suspend further meetings pending submission of reports to their governments.

1 Department of State Bulletin, Feb. 23, 1953, p. 305.

2 Supra, doc. 80.

87. JOINT NOTE FROM THE AMERICAN, BRITISH, AND FRENCH DEPUTIES FOR THE AUSTRIAN TREATY TO THE SOVIET DEPUTY,2 MAY 26, 1953 3

4

3

In his letter of the 25 May to the Secretary General of the Deputies for the Austrian Treaty, the Soviet Deputy alleged that a meeting of the Treaty Deputies could be called only at the request of the Council of Foreign Ministers, and asserted that there were no grounds for believing that the meeting called for the 27 May would be successful. The Deputies of France, the United Kingdom and the United States fail to understand the Soviet Deputy's position. It is the assigned task of the Deputies to draft an Austrian Treaty. All but a few of their 260 previous meetings were called without specific instructions from the Council of Foreign Ministers. Moreover, at the last meeting of the Deputies on February 9, 1953, the Soviet Deputy agreed to an adjournment with the understanding that the next meeting would be called by the United Kingdom Chairman at an early date.

The three Deputies consider unwarranted the assumption by the Soviet Deputy that the meeting proposed would not lead to the conclusion of an Austrian Treaty. At the last meeting they made it perfectly clear they were prepared to accept any treaty in terms which would ensure Austria's political and economic independence. They are convinced that, given goodwill on the Soviet side, it would still be possible to conclude such a treaty.

The three Deputies deeply regret the refusal of the Soviet Deputy to meet and are reporting the position to their respective governments.

6

88. NOTE FROM THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR AT MOSCOW TO THE SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTER, JUNE 11, 19537

5

The Ambassador of the United States presents his compliments. to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and, under instructions from his Government, has the honor to communicate the following:

The United States Government has learned with regret of the refusal of the Soviet Deputy to attend the meeting of Deputies for the Austrian Treaty called for the 27th of May by the United King

Walter Dowling (United States), Geoffrey Harrison (United Kingdom), and Etienne de Crouy-Chanel (France).

2 Andrei A. Gromyko.

Department of State Bulletin, June 8, 1953, pp. 814-815.

• Ibid.

5 Charles E. Bohlen.

Vyacheslav M. Molotov.

* Department of State Bulletin, June 22, 1953, pp. 873-874. The British and French Embassies sent similar notes.

dom Chairman.' The United States Government is seriously concerned that it is now nearly ten years since the Austrian people were promised the restoration of their freedom and independence in the Moscow Declaration. It is more than eight years since the end of hostilities in Europe made possible the fulfillment of that pledge. The United States Government cannot accept as justification for this further delay in the conclusion of an Austrian Treaty the pretext on which the Soviet Deputy has based his refusal to attend the meeting.

In 1949 the United States Government, together with the French and United Kingdom Governments, agreed to meet the Soviet position on major outstanding issues of the treaty provided early agreement could be reached on it as a whole.3

Since that time, the Soviet Government has persisted in raising obstacles which have prevented substantive negotiations, although the Governments of the United Kingdom, the United States and France have repeatedly made it clear that they were prepared to accept any treaty which would ensure Austria's political and economic independence.

It was in that spirit that the representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States and France were ready in London on the 27th of May to attend the meeting called in the customary manner as agreed at the previous meeting. The Soviet Deputy, however, did not attend and proposed instead that consideration of the Austrian Treaty be continued through diplomatic channels.

The conclusion of an Austrian Treaty is not a question of procedure but rather of good will. To avoid further unnecessary delays and to enable the Deputies to complete the work already done, the United States Government requests the Soviet Government to inform it of the exact text of the treaty which the Soviet Government is prepared to conclude in order to ensure the political and economic independence of Austria.

1 See the Soviet note of May 25, 1953 (Department of State Bulletin, June 8, 1953, p. 815) and the tripartite note of May 26, 1953 (supra).

2 Declaration on Austria, Nov. 1, 1943; A Decade of American Foreign Policy,

p. 11.

See communiqué of June 21, 1949; ibid., p. 112.