File No. 763.72119/1430
The Minister in Sweden ( Morris ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 5, 2.25 a.m.]
1612. Swedish press reports via Berlin peace treaty with Russia signed 5 o’clock Sunday.
Petrograd’s telegram bureau wires from Petrograd peace delegation Brest accepted all German peace terms and telegraphed Lenin and Trotsky:
As we anticipated deliberations on peace treaty useless. In view Germany refusing discontinue military operations until signing had taken place we decided sign peace treaty without revision and then leave Brest immediately. The most significant change to peace terms of February 21 is as follows: The districts of Ardakhan, Kars and Batum shall be separated from Russian territory. This done under pretext of right of nations to dispose of themselves. Karakhan, Secretary.
Swedish press comments as follows:
Turkey will recover what was lost to Russia at Congress Berlin 1878. Kars of strategical importance as barricading fort in mountains, but Batum is place of most value to Turkey as pipes run there from great petroleum center Baku on Caspian Sea. The tremendous petroleum trade at Baku will come under Turkish control.