AUSTRIAN TREATY

Foreign Secretary in C.F.M. Meeting on 16th April (my telegram
17th April, D No.386, Paragraph 2), agreed that Austrian Treaty
should be signed by four powers only. In making this concession,
which is departure from our position (outlined in my telegram 22nd
February D No. 117), he made it clear that his object was to
ensure that Treaty would be completed in Moscow (and that early
withdrawal of Soviet troops from Danubian countries would thereby
be achieved).

2. Foreign Secretary has explained position from time to time in
meetings with Dominion representatives in Moscow, and we gathered
that general view was that other governments would be unwilling to
be named in preamble as signatory powers unless an opportunity
should be guaranteed for consideration of text of treaty in
conjunction with four powers at a stage at which changes could
still be made. On the other hand our efforts to obtain official
circulation of C.F.M. documents in connection with Treaty and
opportunity for draft text to be considered and commented on by
Allied powers have not been successful.

3. The Soviet Government have consistently opposed the signature
by other Allied and Associated powers: French and United States
Governments have been indifferent: Austria has requested that
Treaty should be signed by four occupying powers only. It seemed
best, therefore, in order to facilitate early signature of
Austrian Treaty, to withdraw from our former position and to
concentrate on inclusion in Treaty of suitable accession clause.