760d.61/376: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 1—8:40 a.m.]
299. Finnish delegation left last night for Moscow. Authorized statement this morning [declared] that Government met yesterday under chairmanship President Republic, approved counter-proposal to be submitted Moscow and instructions for delegation.
Molotov’s speech last night [at] special session [of] Supreme Soviet: press publishes official statement Finnish Foreign Office as follows:
“In matters mentioned by Molotov Soviet Union expressed desire [to] discuss with Finland. By making public Soviet Union’s standpoint at time when Finland’s plenipotentiaries have just left Helsinki to deliver Finnish Government’s answer to Soviet Government, Commissar Molotov has created new situation. Hitherto negotiations have been confidential and Finland has independently and without pressure from any foreign power whatever sought without prejudice [to] find solution [to] questions presented, notwithstanding their difficulty in view of neutrality policy Finland has embraced. Thus Finland has also wished have regard for Soviet Union’s effort to make effective safety of Leningrad but without risking its own security.
It’s too early say how Molotov’s statement may affect Finnish Government’s standpoint. In any event that statement has produced natural delay continuing negotiations.
Since Commissar Molotov in his speech said Soviet Union has right and obligation to take effective measures contemplating safeguarding its security in Gulf Finland and on border nearest Leningrad, Finnish Foreign Office points out that Soviet Union in its Nonaggression Pact concluded 1932 with Finland bound itself to respect boundaries established between Finland and Soviet Union in peace treaty at Dorpat and to solve all differences of opinion between two countries by pacific means. Finland will trust that Soviet Union respects this agreement whose continued validity to end year 1945 was agreed between Finland and Soviet Union 1934.”
Repeated Embassy, Moscow.