Austria Foreign Minister Is 2nd to Quit Cabinet

Austria’s foreign minister resigned today, the second Socialist to quit the government since the party’s candidate for president was beaten by Kurt Waldheim despite charges that the ex-U.N. secretary general hid a Nazi past.

The foreign minister, Leopold Gratz, will not be a member of the Cabinet to be announced Monday by the new chancellor, Franz Vranitzki, officials said. Gratz submitted his resignation to outgoing Chancellor Fred Sinowatz.

“The resignation has been accepted,” a spokesman said.

The move had been expected after Sinowatz resigned Monday and said he will retain only his job as chairman of the ruling Socialist Party. (Story on Page 8.)

Gratz, who became foreign minister two years ago and is also head of the party’s Vienna organization, will now devote himself fully to party affairs, Vienna Mayor Helmut Zilk said.

Radical Changes

The Socialist Party, smarting from the resounding defeat Sunday of its presidential candidate, Kurt Steyrer, announced radical changes Monday in an attempt to regain its momentum before general elections next April.

The party lost many of its voters to Waldheim in Vienna, a traditional Socialist stronghold, and Gratz’s return signals an attempt to revive the party’s flagging support.

Sources said Science Minister Heinz Fischer is most likely to succeed Gratz.