Papers and Documents relating to the Foreign Relations of Hungary, Volume 2, 1921 (Budapest, 1946)

Documents

1921 745 acceptable to Hungary. But while our confidence in the Chancellor is great, we have no confidence in the Austrian political parties under whose influence the preceding Austrian Governments have consistently prevented a satisfactory solution of this question. During the administration of Dr. Mayr we heard very friendly declarations but we found also that simultaneously with these protestations of friendship the diplomatic representative of Austria in Paris

1 was active in inducing the Allied Powers not to make any concessions to Hungary.

2 We regret to find that, even since Dr. Schober took office as Chancellor, the Austrian Minister in Paris, despite Dr. Schober's promise that he would not press for the evacuation of the Burgenland, took steps with the same end in view.

3 The willingness of the Austrian Government to negotiate with Hungary was thus disavowed and the postponement of the date of evacuation by the Conference of Ambassadors became impossible, although the majority of the members of the Conference were in favour of such a postponement. I cannot refrain from calling attention to the fact that we received repeated assurances from the Christian Socialists that they had no objection to friendly negotiations, to be conducted on the basis of territorial concessions claimed by us. In other words, we have heard many impressive declarations emphasizing the necessity of friendship between Austria and Hungary, but no Austrian politician has ever done anything to implement these declarations. With reference to the discussions of this question in the Committee for Foreign Affairs, I wish to point out the contradiction between the assertion that "no member of the Committee took an a priori negative attitude toward our proposals", whereas you reported in your code telegram No. 316 of August 14,

4 that, according to Chancellor Schober, "the members of the Committee, irrespective of party, found our proposals unacceptable." It is not surprising therefore if in Hungary the opinion is beginning to gain ground that the Austrian political parties have no serious intention of making concessions to Hungary and that the Hungarian Government would expose itself to ridicule if it should enter into negotiations extra possessionem. The bitterness 1 Eichhoff. 3 Cf. supra, Docs. Nos. 641 and 650. 2 Cf. supra, Doc. No. 1. 4 Supra, Doc. No. 707.