760d.61/322: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 20—2:18 p.m.]
781. My telegram No. 741, October 13, 2 [5] p.m. In discussing the Finnish-Soviet negotiations a member of the German Embassy here stated that while the Soviet Government was not consulting with the German Government Molotov had nevertheless kept the German Ambassador here53 informed. My informant was aware of the details of the Soviet proposals to Finland, as well as the contents of Kalinin’s reply to the President. He stated that his Ambassador had gained the impression that the Soviet Government intended to insist on the proposals taken back to Helsinki by the Finnish representatives but would not raise any additional points and he felt that as it might [Page 978] be difficult for Finland to accept all of the Soviet proposals as made, the possibility of a crisis between the two countries could not be excluded.
While the foregoing may have been conveyed in order to support the Soviet position in its negotiations with Finland it may, on the other hand, accurately reflect the intentions of the Soviet Government.
- Friedrich Werner, Count von der Schulenburg.↩