SOVIET SEIZURES

Grey River Argus, 21 February 1947, Page 5

SOVIET SEIZURES

AUSTRIAN PROPERTY U.S.A. Holds Them Illegal LONDON, Feb. 19. General Mark Clark told. fcW; “ Se in U Aust S ria rra peseizures of piopeity p-ardless of Austrian intei ests. S The deputies were discussing the British and Russian proposa ds^ J*' disnosal of German assets in Austi a. General Clark declared that the disposition of German assets would be P a crucial factor in Austrian ecoThe repeated disX Of this' question for nearly two years had been fruitless because the Russians refused to discuss the matter either bilaterally or in the Allied Control Commsision foi Austr America agreed in principle to the British proposals on _ deflat ‘°" d R u Stransfer of assets. Some of the Rus sian proposals also were not dissimilar to the American viewpoint but others were completely opposed to the American and British views. The Russian proposals inferred th a legalisation of the seizures already made in the Russian zone and the imposition of restrictions on Austi lan rights to exercise jurisdiction over Austrian property. The Russian proposals, he added, were not acceptable to America be ■ cause they tended to nullify the object of the deputies’ meeting, which was to establish an . independent sovereign State in Austria. Britain’s draft proposed that the German assets which have already been transferred to the Big Foui Powers should remain subject to Austrian law. and that other assets should be invested in the Austrian Government which would be obliged to eradicate the German interests from them.

The Russian draft stated that German assets which had become Big Four property should not. be subject to confiscation without the consent of the owner State. M. Gusev (Russia) said he could not agree with the other deputies’ views that German assets must be subject to Austrian legislation or that German assets not transferred to the Big Four should go to the Austrian Government.

The United States Government has returned to Austria nearly £1,250,000 worth of gold coins and ingots which the Germans looted from the Austrian Nationanl Bank.