Austria 829



3.  United States Protest
     Following the German protest to the Austrian Government over its
failure to disassociate itself from Khrushchev's violent attacks on
Adenauer, Ambassador Matthews, on instructions, made a somewhat
similar protest on July 6 with respect to Khrushchev's attacks on the
United States.2 He stated that the fact Khrushchev attacked the United
States in the presence of Raab added increased seriousness to the failure
of the Austrian Government to act. Our Ambassador asked what steps
the Austrians intended to take to make clear its disassociation from
Khrushchev's remarks. Our Embassy, and later the Department, in-
formed the press of this demarche.
    There was no official Austrian reaction to our demarche prior to
Khrushchev's departure on July 8, but the Chancellor has asked to see
Ambassador Matthews on July 9, presumably to discuss our protest.3

4.  Khrushchev's Statements on Austrian Neutrality
    Khrushchev stated on July 4, and later on July 8, that "the USSR
would not remain idle should anyone violate Austrian neutrality". On
July 6 he warned that if the rocket bases in Italy were used against "So-
cialist countries", this would be a violation of Austrian neutrality.
The
Austrian press reacted strongly to these statements, but there has been
no official Austrian comment.4

5. Khrushchev's Remarks on Berlin
    At his farewell news conference on July 8 Khrushchev stated that
the Soviets might sign a separate peace treaty with the East Germans in
September when the West German Parliament intends to meet in West
Berlin. "This would mean that all members of the West German Parlia-
ment would have to ask for visas from the East German Government in
order to return to West Germany."



    2Telegram 58 from Vienna, July 6, reported that Matthews had protested
to Kreisky
the use by Khrushchev of an Austrian platform to attack the United States,
along the lines
authorized by telegram 19 to Vienna (see footnote 1, Document 326). (Department
of State,
Central Files, 033.6163/7-660)
    3On July 10, Raab made a speech over Austrian radio in which he specifically
re-
ferred to the protests made by the United States and the Federal Republic
of Germany. In
the speech, he defended Austria's friendship with these countries and with
Italy and sin-
gled out Chancellor Adenauer as always having been the object of his special
friendship.
The speech is printed in Mayrzedt and Hummer, eds., 20 Jahre.
    4At a meeting of the Austrian Cabinet on July 12, reported in telegram
120 from
Vienna, July 13, Chancellor Raab was authorized to issue a statement rejecting
Khru-
shchev's stated interpretation of Austrian neutrality and to restate the
Austrian concep-
tion. (Department of State, Central Files, 763.13/7-1360)