Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XVII, Eastern Europe

201. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, April 10, 1968.

SUBJECT

• East-West Relations

PARTICIPANTS

• The Honorable Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States
• His Excellency Dr. Josef Klaus, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria
• The Honorable Angier B. Duke, Chief of Protocol
• Mr. Harry Obst, Department of State, Language Services Staff

The President thanked the Chancellor for expressing the gratitude of the Austrian people for the aid given by the United States to Austria. All Americans hold names like Vienna and Salzburg in high esteem and they have a high regard for the Austrian people. This would be demonstrated at the White House dinner as people from all corners of the United States come to honor the Chancellor and the Austrian people. It is very much regretted that we have the turbulence in our city at this time and the inconvenience of the curfew, which might make it impossible for some people to attend.² However, the greater majority of them will be there and they are looking forward to it.

The President said that the United States is also trying to build some bridges to the Eastern European countries, following the splendid example set by Austria. We are exploring the possibility of expanding trade between the United States and the Eastern European countries.

Chancellor Klaus replied that as a country bordering directly on the Eastern bloc, and as a free and democratic country, Austria has been observing a steady process of loosening in the monolithic bloc led by the Soviet Union and a considerable interest by the Eastern countries in the rest of Europe. Since 1955–56 a certain turning around and looking more towards the Western world again can be closely observed among those nations. Austria is trying to gear its policy to this development.

President Johnson assured the Chancellor that the United States is very appreciative of Austria’s efforts in this direction. We are trying very much to do the same, as we know that this is a turbulent area which seeks to find a new level of balance while looking for more freedom.

Chancellor Klaus said he wished to make very clear that in those areas, 70 to 90 percent of the people are not thinking along Communist lines, but their thoughts are very much the same as in the West. Four years ago he talked to a Hungarian engineer who had been imprisoned by Kadar and asked him if he would consider it strange or natural if the Chancellor were to shake the hand of the man who imprisoned him. The engineer’s response was typical. He said please do come and visit him by all means. We must not forget that 80 percent of the Hungarians think and feel with the people of the West and want a democratic way of life.

The Chancellor recalled that he had made visits to Moscow, Budapest, Bucharest, Belgrade and Sofia in 1967 and also traveled East as a private citizen. Everywhere he found great sympathy for Austria, for Europe, for the free world and for democracy. Austria, being historically and geographically the closest country to the Eastern bloc, can demonstrate to these countries a different way of life and government.

President Johnson replied that we have observed Austria’s policy with great interest and we very much appreciate her excellent efforts. We want to contribute wherever we can to such a policy. He hoped that the Chancellor would be able to discuss details of this policy more closely with Secretary Rusk.³

Chancellor Klaus said that this conversation had been a great experience for him. He was grateful to have had the opportunity to meet with the President personally and to discuss the three most important issues of concern to the United States. He thanked the President for having spoken with him so frankly and in such a cordial manner and took this as a token of the trust that exists between the two countries. He hoped that his future meetings with the President and with his very able Secretary of State would contribute to a continued exchange of views between our two governments and that those talks would be fruitful. He thanked the President for having given him this opportunity on a very, very busy day.

President Johnson closed by saying that he was very happy that the Chancellor could come and see him and he was looking forward to being with him again at the White House dinner.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL EUR E–US. Confidential. Drafted by Obst and approved in the White House by Rostow on April 19. A separate memorandum of conversation, dealing with Vietnam, is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Austria, Memos. The meeting was held at the White House
2. Rioting broke out in Washington following the April 4 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal troops were brought in to quell the violence and a curfew was established on April 5.
3. According to Secretary Rusk’s Appointment Book, he hosted a luncheon for Klaus on the afternoon of April 10. (Johnson Library) No memorandum of conversation was found.