760D.61/1522: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:03 p.m.]
421. My telegram No. 327, July 29th, first paragraph. Prime Minister Ryti informed me yesterday that negotiations were substantially concluded with the Soviet Union with a view to the latter’s adherence in effect to the principles of the Geneva conference [Convention?] of 1921 regarding the Åland Islands. Agreement would be submitted shortly to the Finnish Diet. Though in earlier stages of the negotiations Molotov had been insistent upon an explicit stipulation imposing upon the Soviet Union and Finland jointly responsibility for defense of the islands contemplated in article VI of the convention and had subsequently modified this plan so as to include Sweden he had suddenly in the latest conversation with the Finnish Minister given up the idea of special rights for the Soviet Union. Ryti thought this change of position was not unconnected with the recent Finnish-German transit agreement.
Repeated to Moscow. Copy by mail to Stockholm.