760d.61/619: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 4—9:10 p.m.]
1018. An announcement on the Soviet radio at 5:30 p.m. stated that Molotov in reply to an offer to negotiate made by the Finnish Government through the Swedish Minister in Moscow, told the Swedish Minister that the Soviet Government does not recognize the “so-called” Finnish Government which has “fled from Helsinki to an unknown destination”,16 and that there cannot be any question of further negotiations with that Government. Molotov added that moreover the Soviet Government has recognized and concluded a pact of mutual assistance and friendship with the “People’s Government” of Finland; a pact which is the basis for future developments. Repeat to Embassy at Stockholm and for transmission to Helsinki.
- The Minister in Finland advised the Department in his telegram No. 408, December 6, that on the afternoon of December 6, the President of the Republic of Finland together with members of the Cabinet had received the Diplomatic Corps in Helsinki on occasion of the 22d anniversary of the independence of Finland. This reception was especially held to refute the Soviet allegation that the Finnish Government had fled. (860d.407/2) The text of a telegram for this anniversary from the President of the United States to the President of Finland is given in Department of State Bulletin, December 9, 1939, p. 650. This was acknowledged by President Kallio in a telegram from Helsinki on December 7, ibid., December 16, p. 696.↩