Sir, - Bertrand Benoit's article (August 29th) stated that Austria's neutrality is enshrined in a treaty. This is an often repeated mistake, obviously referring to the State Treaty for the re-establishment of an independent and democratic Austria of May 15th 1955, which stipulates the withdrawal of Allied Forces from Austria.
It was only after the ratification of the said State Treaty by the Allied Powers (Britain, France, the United States and the Soviet Union) and the completion of their withdrawal that a voluntary and unilateral declaration of Austrian neutrality was passed by the Austrian Parliament in form of a Federal Constitutional Law on October 26th, 1955.
Yours, etc.,
Austrian Ambassador, Dublin.