Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, George W. Perkins, Adrian S. Fisher, Ambassador Murphy, and Francis Williamson

cranf 003903 242 S/S DEPARTMENT OF STATE 243 AND Memorandum of Conversation RECORDS SERVICES DATE: August 24, 1949 SUBJECT: Neeting August 18, 1949 on Austrian Treaty. coaf PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary of State Mr. George W. Perkins - Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Mr. Adrian s. Fisher - Legal Adviser Ambassador Murphy - Acting Director, Office of German and Austrian Affairs Mr. Francis Willianson - Office of German and Austrian Affairs COPIES TO: U - Mr. Webb G - Nr. Rusk EUR - Mr. Perkins L - Mr. Fisher 1-1493 At a meeting in the Secretary S office August 18, 1949, attended by the Secretary, Assistant Secretary Perkins, Legal Adviser Fisher, Nr. Nurphy and Mr. Williamson, the following procedure on the Austrian Treaty vas discussed and agreed. The Secretary did not consider that it would be desirable or useful to have a OFN meeting on Austria in connection with the forthcoming meeting of the General Assembly. The nature of the issues which are still unagreed in the Austrian Treaty would not admit clear ministerial discussion inasmuch as they involve largely factual questions. He felt that there vould not be suf- ficient preparation by any of the delegations in such a meeting to provide an equitable settlement of the Austrian Treaty issues. With regard to the status of U. S. property interests and possible U. S. clains in Austria effected by the German assets settlement, the Secretary con- sidered that every step must be taken to protect U. 8. property interests and prevent their transfer to the Soviet Union. This issue involves particularly the Lobau Refinery, on which the Secretary believed that a strong clain should be maintained. In view of the fact that the remaining questions on the Treaty involve by and large agreement on factual data with respect to the oil question and other property rights, the Secretary considered that the Soviet figures which had been submitted to the Deputies should not be accepted without further DECLASSIFIED examination E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) Dept. of State letter, 03.23.073 By NLT. HC , NARS Date 4-27-76