Following for Robertson from Wrong, Begins: Proposed treaty with Austria.

You will no doubt have seen Dominions Office telegram Circular D. 551 of May 29th† which deals with United States proposal for treaty with Austria.

The following are our provisional comments. If the Prime Minister agrees they might be communicated to the Dominions Office.

We have, of course, repeatedly expressed our objections to the exclusive negotiation by the Big Powers of the peace settlements with ex-enemy states, and these arguments would apply to the peace settlement, with Austria, whether it is formally described as a "peace treaty" or not.

Moreover, we are not very hopefully impressed by the United States proposal as a political expedient to circumvent Soviet obstruction. It seems to us doubtful whether any ingenuities in the form of the treaty would induce the Soviet Union to become party to it unless it suited her purposes to do so.

On the other hand, the Canadian Government share the general interest in the prompt settlement of peace terms with ex-enemy states, and we would not wish to hinder any arrangements with regard to Austria which, in the view of the United Kingdom and the United States, hold out the prospect of gaining the agreement of the four Powers principally concerned.

With regard to the proposals outlined in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Dominions Office telegram under reference, we should require to have full discussions to study the terms of the treaty with Austria in order that Canadian interests in the settlement may be safeguarded. We consider that as an active belligerent in the war against Germany and Austria we, in common with the other active belligerents, should sign this treaty provided, of course, that its contents are acceptable to us. We are not favourably impressed by the United States suggestion that other countries (including Canada) should accede to the treaty subsequently or express their recognition of the resulting state of affairs by means of a separate protocol. This would, in our view constitute a most unfortunate precedent.

The arrangements for the treaty are to be proceeded with, it is clear that the Canadian, as well as the United Kingdom, legal position will have to be regularized. The United Kingdom proposal for unilateral declarations by those states which regard Austria as having enemy status to the effect that they were prepared henceforth to regard her as no longer having that status, seem to us unobjectionable, although we have not yet had time to consider the legal implications.