Russia and Austria

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27642, 26 April 1955, Page 12

Russia and Austria

The Western Powers will be most interested in Russia’s proposal for a four-Power Foreign Ministers’ conference in the near future to consider and sign an Austrian peace treaty. The Western Powers have pursued this purpose diligently in numerous negotiations spread over eight years, only to have promising avenues for settlement blocked one after the other by Russian obstruction. The Western Powers were determined that the Big Four conference in Berlin in January and February, 1954, should reach agreement on the Austrian issue if on nothing else. The British, French, and American delegates conceded the Russian claims on the few controversial clauses that remained in dispute after years of haggling; and holding that no differences remained, they proposed that a treaty be signed before the conference broke up. But Mr Molotov raised a new obstacle. He insisted upon continued occupation of Austria “to prevent any attempt at “ a new Anschluss ” by a rearmed Germany. The draft Austrian treaty includes a clause forbidding any union with Germany; but the Austrian treaty naturally could not bind Germany. The lack of a treaty that would forbid Germany to attempt a union with Austria was the obstacle that Mr Molotov conjured up last year. His stand then was that the evacuation of troops from Austria must wait upon a German peace treaty; and this meant extending Austria’s long wait for a treaty indefinitely. Last month, Mr Molotov broke the stalemate he had contrived. He made certain proposals to the ’ Austrian Ambassador in Moscow; and from these conversations arose an invitation to the Austrian Chancellor (Dr. Raab) to visit Moscow. Dr. Raab appears satisfied with the arrangements he made with Mr Molotov in Moscow; and on his return to Vienna he offered his fellow-citizens high hopes of obtaining soon their long-awaited : State treaty. The impression has ! been given that the conclusion of the treaty now rests with the Western Powers. But Mr Molotov . clearly has more in mind than a simple transfer of the initiative in seeking a treaty. Naturally, the Western Powers want to discover . why, having said “No” for eight . years, Mr Molotov now says “Yes”.

■ They must seek the answer in two places. First, they must look at the draft treaty itself and see what ! alterations are proposed as a result of the discussions between Mr Molotov and Dr. Raab. Second, they will want to see whether the proposed treaty will affect other international arrangements. Not enough is known about the MolotovRaab discussions to say what the Western Powers will find. In the 1 past Moscow has used Austria as a ■ bargaining point, knowing that the 1 Western Powers particularly desire to see Austria, the first of Hitler’s victims, free again at last. The Western Powers will therefore enter f the new conference proposed by the ’ Russians with hopes pitched not too > high, and with caution, perhaps, the • keynote of their approach.