860D.6359 International Nickel Co./15: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 3—1:30 p.m.]
1475. My 1186, September 18, 4 p.m., and 1314, October 9, 11 a.m. I am reliably informed that several days ago Vishinsky74 called the Finnish Minister and told him that the Soviet Government had now decided that it deserved the entire output of the Petsamo nickel mines and that it expected the Finnish Government to accede to this request and if not the Soviet Government would be forced to consider what measures it should adopt to obtain the output of the mines. Insofar as I am aware the Finnish Minister has not yet communicated to the Soviet Government the Finnish reply to the demand. In view of [Page 353] reports reaching Moscow from Helsinki that the Germans have no less than 15,000 troops north of Vasa and are said to be constructing headquarters there, the Soviet demand for the entire output of the nickel mines to the exclusion of Germany may be of special significance in its effect on Soviet-German relations unless the demand was presented following consultation and agreement with Germany.
- Andrey Yanuaryevich Vyshinsky, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.↩