Evening star., 1949-02-11
Setback Over Austria

On it's very first day, the reconvened
| Big Four conference on a peace treaty for
| Austria has struck bad Snag. The Soviet
| delegate has reiterated his support OF
Yugoslav claims to a slice of Austrian ter
ritory and a humping bill Tor war repara-
tions. That was the finty rock on which
| the negotiations split so decisively last
spring that the Western Powers broke of
the discussion as fruitless.
This impasse over Yugoslav claims came
as the climax to whole series of other
disputed points between Moscow and the
West. 1t is nearly three years since the
Big Four sat down to work out the details
of peace settlement for Austria, to which
they had all previously pledged themselves.
But it soon became clear that Russia in
sisted on a treaty which would have left
Austria mere satellite of Moscow, effec-
lively within the Soviet bloc. And on top
of those demands for itself came Moscow S
advocacy of Yugoslav demands which
would have made Austrian independence
and sovereignty even more of a mockery.
Objectively considered, 1t Is difficult to
see how the Yugoslav claims have any
justification, either in law or in equity. To
begin with, the Big Four had agreed dur
ing the war that Austria's enforced union
with Nazi Germany was to be considered
null and void, and that therefore Austria
was to be considered not as an enemy but
as liberated" state when the war was
won. Under these circumstances, no in
demnity for war damage could be valid
as against Austria. And since Austrian
independence and sovereignty were to be
restored as they existed before the Nazi
"Anschluss," ceSsions of territory to any of
the victors was likewise logically ruled out
In equity likewise, Yugoslavia's territorial
claim was inadmissible. The district In
volved Is separated from Yugoslavia by a
high mountain range and contains only
a small Slav-speaking minority. The SEN
timent of the population had been regis
tered after World War I by plebiscite
which went Overwhelmingly for continued
union with Austria. And recent evidence
shows that much OF the Slav minority,
being staunch Roman Catholics and con-
serva tives, have no use for the antire-
ligious and Communist regime which
Tito has set up across the border. The
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son for refusing even to consider the Yugo-
slav demands.
Such being the case, the question logi-
cally arises why the discussions over an
Austrian peace treaty were resumed. Some
months ago, the Austrian government
sounded out the Western Powers as to
their willingness to resume negotiations.
But the reason for this action has never
been disclosed. However, the State De-
partment took the initiative by sending a
circular note to London, Paris and Moscow,
suggesting that the talks be started again.
Apparently. no conditions were attached
to the suggestion; so Moscow was free
to enter the conference on the same basis
as before. And now Moscow has at once
gained notable propaganda advantage
by reiterating its advocacy of Yugoslav
claims, thereby playing up to Yugoslav
patriotism and indicating the value of So
Wet friendship-recently compromised by
Titos Independent attitude. OF course,
there has been much talk in the West
that Moscow would "sell Tito down the
river" by abandoning its former satellite.
Yet there is no evidence to show that such
Western speculations were more than
wishful thinking. And such thinking
should have no pIace in dipomacy