760D.61/1300: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:22 p.m.]
278. For the President and the Secretary only. The Swedish Minister has just informed me that despite a further effort on his part yesterday afternoon at an interview with Molotov to obtain some modification of the Soviet terms as outlined in my 266, March 9, 9 p.m., he had been unsuccessful and that a similar effort by the Finnish delegates at a further conference with the same three Soviet representatives had also failed. Accordingly the Finnish delegates have been instructed by their Government to accept the Soviet terms and they have done so. They are at present discussing matters of detail and are awaiting full powers to sign. The Soviet Government has again refused an armistice until the terms of peace have been [Page 312] signed. The Swedish Minister anticipates that this will take place tomorrow or the next day.
The Minister requested that the foregoing be held in the strictest confidence.