701.60d61/18: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Sterling) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 7—6:52 a.m.]
268. Following by telephone for Department from Helsinki.
“409. December 7, noon. Secretary General Finnish Foreign Office has just telephoned me by direction Minister for Foreign Affairs stating that Finnish Minister and Legation personnel Moscow expect to leave Moscow for Berlin via Dunaburg20 today. He stated German Ambassador as Dean of Diplomatic Corps had been requested to take [Page 1025] charge of Finnish interests and had referred matter to his Government but German Ambassador doubted it would authorize such action. He reminded me that Finnish Government had previously asked Swedish Government to take over its interests but Soviet Government had refused.
Secretary General now inquires whether American Embassy Moscow could be authorized to take charge of Finnish interests or at least of Finnish Legation building. I said I would refer matter to you immediately. Schoenfeld.”
- Daugavpils, Dvinsk.↩