Evening star., 1946-05-01
Byrnes, Mo|otov
Clash on Allied
Control Of Italy
Ministers Turn Down
Austrian Pleas for
Southern TyroI
BY the Associoted Press

PARIS, May 1.-Soviet Foreign
Minister Vyacheslav M. Molotov
and Secretary of State Byrnes
clashed on the question of fu-
ture Allied control of Italy today
as the Foreign Ministers Coun-
Gil turned thumbs down on Aus
tria's plea for return of the
Southern Tyrol by Italy.
A qualified conference source said
the Soviet Minister sharply opposed
Mr.. Byrnes' proposal for a single
general commission to supervise the
carrying out the Italian treaty pro-
visions on the ground that it would
be an infringement of italian
sovereignty.
Mr.. Byrnes was said to have re-
torted it was no more of an in
fringement than the treaty itself.
Soviet Policy Reversed.
Mr.. Molotov reversed the Soviet
policy followed at last September S
Council meeting at which the Rus
slams voted with their colleagues to
set up only military control COM
missions. At this mornings session,
over which he presided, Mr.. Molotov
came out in favor of no commission
at all.
Mr.. Byrnes, in a lengthy state
ment, said American policy was to
press for the withdrawal of all occu-
patton troops in Austria and Italy as
soon as possible He said the occupa-
tion forces in Austria should be cut
to $4,000 troops for each of the four
powers Immediately, and withdrawn
altogether soon. Mr.. Byrnes said
forces had to be maintained in
Italy to protect supply lines, as long
as Austria was occupied.
Mr.. Molotov objected on a point of
order that Austria was not now be-
ing discussed, and Mr.. Byrnes with
drew his proposal for a general con-
troll commission, remarking that the
London decision thus stood.
IL Points of Disagreement.
The ministers were discussing the
last of II points of disagreement
over the Italian treaty.
The ministers decided to hold their
next meeting tomorrow morning and
to cancel scheduled session this
afternoon. Their deputies will meet
this afternoon to set an agenda.
Earlier the ministers scheduled two
-a-day sessions to cope with the in
creasing number of knotty problems
facing them.
Mr.. Molotov was voted down, 3 to
/, on a proposal to recess today
May Day, an important holiday in
the Soviet Union.
Austrian Demand Refused.
In considering the Austrian-Ital-
ian border question, the deputies de-
cided that the Austrian request for
return of the South Tyrol, ceded to
Italy after the First World War,
was a major frontier rectification
which the Council had decided
against last September. The ques-
ton arose at the meeting of the
ministers yesterday whether the re-
quest was a major or minor border
change and the matter was handed
over to the deputies.
The ministers took note of their
deputies decision and said they
would entertain any Austrian re-
quests for minor frontier changes.
This, in effect, was refusal of the
Austrian demand for the entire area.
During the exchange over an AL
lied inspection commission for Italy,
qualified sources said Mr.. Byrnes
went a step beyond the London de-
cision, proposing an overall politi-
cal-military control commission
with military, reparations and other
subcommittee.
Mr.. Molotov said Immediately he
was opposed because it was an in
fringement on Italian sovereignty
and unnecessary"
British Foreign Secretary Ernest
Bevin observed that military COM
mittees only were decided on in
London. Mr. Molotov said he was
opposed to that decision now, also.
French Foreign Minister Georges
Bidault hardly intervened in the dis
cuSsion.
The ministers clashed sharply
ICaa rNNETDENIN pooo