760D.61/1487: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3 p.m.]
368. Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me this morning that the Finnish Government has no advice either from Minister Paasikivi, who now is here on short leave, or from other sources that would tend to confirm numerous alarming rumors regarding Soviet intentions vis-à-vis Finland. He deprecated these rumors and said that he had endeavored to trace their origin with the result that he was inclined to think they were being put out chiefly from London.
Ratifications of trade agreement with the Soviet Government were exchanged here yesterday. The Finnish Commission dealing with restoration of and compensation for property in ceded areas reported yesterday that detailed agreement was approaching completion in perfectly tinted atmosphere. Railroad agreement was substantially complete, remaining differences arising only from purpose of Finnish Government clearly to specify privileges to be granted to the Russians for transit. Joint Boundary Delimitation Commission was carrying out its operations normally and was expected by next October to complete its work preliminary to detailed operations on the ground.48
Regarding activities of so-called special envoy of Friends of the Soviet Union here the principal agitators with one exception, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said, were individuals with a record for common crimes which was being made known to those concerned, presumably meaning the Soviet Government.
The Minister mentioned rumors of alleged mobilization here and said they were entirely without foundation.
- In a radio address on August 20, 1940, Prime Minister Ryti emphasized the Finnish desire for good relations with the Soviet Union, and referred to the number of problems which had been settled after the end of the war.↩