the Austrian State Treaty, 1955

• Soviet policy towards Austria = Germany 
• Immediately after WW2, the USSR favoured a unified German state that was neutralised and offered no threat
• Austria was divided into occupation zones and the USSR focused on receiving economic aid from Austria as they had from the Soviet Zone of Germany
• Austria had the potential to become as great an issue as dividing East and West Germany had been until 1949
• Austrian leaders in the Western Zones promoted the idea that Austria could easily be absorbed into the Soviet sphere of influence as Czechoslovakia had been a few years earlier
• Some observers even referred to Austria as ‘Europe’s Korea’
• By 1955 – USSR showed serious intentions for negotiations over the future of Austria 
• May 1955 – 4 occupying powers reached agreement in the form of the Austrian State Treaty 
• Led to the withdrawal of all occupying powers and the declaration that Austria was a neutral state
• In line with USSR’s willingness to accept both Finland and Yugoslavia as neutral states and not liable to join the Soviet sphere of influence 
• This agreement showed a serious intent towards mutual co-operation and removed a major source of potential conflict 
• Western powers then removed their occupation forces from West Germany 
• This cooperation consolidated the East-West position 
• Next significant step was taken with the decision to resume summit diplomacy