660D.6131/52: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 8—11 a.m.]
1109. Helsinki’s 175, June 6.83 Today’s papers carry the following announcement by the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Trade:
“By June 1st, 1941, Finland had delivered to the Soviet Union goods to the total value of only $885,600 whereas during the same period the Soviet Union delivered to Finland goods to the value of $3,639,200. If attention is directed to fact that in accordance with the trade treaty between the Soviet Union and Finland which is in force the total trade turnover between the two countries since the first year of the operation of the treaty is fixed at $7,500,000 in each direction then this means that the Soviet Union has delivered approximately 47.4% of the goods to Finland but that Finland has delivered 11.4% to the Soviet Union.
Finland’s unsatisfactory fulfillment of trade obligations cannot, of course, facilitate the further development of trade between the Soviet Union and [Finland.]
Nevertheless, in view food shortage which exists in Finland, Comrade I. V. Stalin, President of the Soviet of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union, on May 30th, 1941 promised Mr. Paasikivi, Finnish Minister to the Soviet Union, to ship to Finland within the shortest possible time 20,000 tons of grains over and above the 15,578 tons contracted for without taking into consideration in the given instance the fact that Finland is badly fulfilling its obligations in respect to the delivery of goods to the Soviet Union.
Comrade A. I. Mikoyan, People’s Commissar [for] Foreign Trade of the Soviet Union, informed Mr. Paasikivi, the Finnish Minister, on May 31st, 1941, that he had ordered the All Union Combine [Exportkhleb], name of the exporter of grain products, to proceed immediately to ship the above mentioned quantity of grain to Finland. Up to June 6th inclusive, 7,514 tons of this quantity had already been shipped to Finland by railroad.”
Repeated to Helsinki.
- Not printed.↩