Council of Foreign Ministers

During the period under review, the Foreign Ministers' Deputies on the Austrian treaty, meeting in London, failed to agree on the terms of the proposed treaty of peace for Austria. Following a deadlock on the question of Yugoslavia's claims on Austria, the four-power talks were adjourned indefinitely on May 6. These claims, backed by the USSR, included a demand by Yugoslavia for 788 square miles of territory in Carinthia and Styria and $150,000,000 in reparations. The United States position, backed by the United Kingdom and France, was that Austrian territory should be restored intact as it was January 1, 1938, prior to annexation by Germany, and that Austria should pay no reparations. The indefinite suspension of the four-power talks on the Austrian peace treaty was formally reported on May 24 to the Secretary General of the Council of Foreign Ministers by Samuel Reber, United States deputy and chairman of the next meeting. The way was held open however, for the calling of the next meeting when a justifiable basis for continued negotiation was found.