AUSTRIAN STATE TREATY

HC Deb 02 March 1955 vol 537 c265W

21. Mr. Nield

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to make a statement on the delay over the Austrian State Treaty.

Mr. Turton

At the Berlin Conference the Western Powers expressed their readiness to sign the Austrian State Treaty with the Soviet text of the previously un-agreed articles. This would have provided for the termination of the occupation and the withdrawal of all foreign troops within three months of the entry into force of the Treaty. The Soviet Government, however, made it clear at Berlin that they had no intention of withdrawing their forces within the three months prescribed in the draft Treaty or indeed within any fixed period. Nor have they been willing to offer any further clarification of their position in reply to Her Majesty's Government's Note of 29th of November, in which we re-affirmed our desire to proceed as soon as possible to the signature of the Treaty and to the termination of the occupation and the withdrawal of foreign troops as prescribed therein.