Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-22
West Asks Reds
For Austria PACT
Farley May 7
Big Three Tell Soviet
Their Ministers
Are Reody to Tolk
NV rnxJNY W unDNCD
BY JOHN ". HORNER

The United States, Britain and
France proposed today that their
ambassadors and the ambassador
of Soviet Russia meet May 2
in Vienna with Austrian repre-
sentativeS to work out the long
delayed treaty of independence
for Austria.
Replying to a Soviet note OF
Tuesday, the Western powers
said they will be pleased to par
ticipate lat the earliest possible
moment" in a meeting of Big
Four foreign ministers and Aus
trian representatives to sign the
treaty.
The meeting of the foreign
ministers, which may be held
as early as May Is, would be
largely a formality. This is
based on the assumption that
details for agreement will be
approved in advance by the am
bassadors.
Preliminary discussions will be
launched in Vienna Monday, by
working groups" of the United
States, Britain and France. These
groups will include members Of
the embassy stats in the Aus
trian capital and specialists
from each of the three foreign
Offices.
The State Department will
send two, Richard B. Freund. its
Austrian officer, and Donald
Wehmeyer, legal adviser.
Text of Note
The United States note to Rus
sia, which is identical with those
OF Britain and France, said:
THE Government of the
United States, in consultation
with the British and French Gov
ernments, has considered the
Soviet Governments note of
April 10 proposing conference
of the Ministers of Foreign At
fairs of the u. K, the Soviet
Union, the United States and
France, with Austrian represent
tatives participating. in order to
discuss the question of conclud-
ing a state treaty for the re-
establishment of an independent
democratic Austria and in order
to sign that treaty.
1.-THE Government of the
United States welcomes the So
Wet Governments view that the
possibility now exists of conclud-
ing the Austrian State treaty. It
would be pleased to participate
at the earliest possible moment
in a meeting of the foreign min
listers of the four powers together
with the representatives of Aus
tria in order to- sign the treaty.
From the information it has
received regarding the exchanges
between the Austrian and Soviet
Ministers in Moscow it is clear
that some preparatory work
still remains to be done. Recall
ing the tripartite declaration of
April 5, it suggests that the Am
bassadors of the four powers in
Vienna should meet at very
early date, with the participa-
ton of Austrian representatives,
in order to examine the results
of the exchanges in Moscow and
to reach the necessary agree
ments for the early signature of
the state treaty by the foreign
ministers. 1t would therefore
propose that the ambassadors
together with Austrian repre-
sentatives should meet in Vienna
on May 2.
las soon as the necessary
preparations have been COM
pleted the earlist practicable
date should then be set for the
foreign ministers 10 meet ana
to sign the treaty."
Another Meeting Due 4
The British Foreign Office 81
multaneously announced that
American, British and French
officials would start work in
London April 81 to lay the
groundwork for another Big Four
foreign ministers meeting of
wider scope-particularly on the
German question.
The British spokesman indi-
See BIG FOUR, Page Ais