740.00122 European War 1939/7290: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

6174. 1. British Embassy informs us today of the receipt of a cable from the Foreign Office to the effect that the Swedish Legation in London has gained the impression that the question of the departure of the two Norwegian ships now in Goteborg will be deferred apparently indefinitely.

It was made entirely clear to Boheman that the question of the Norwegian ships was deferred only temporarily and as stated in our 6112, December 3, he was warned in unmistakable terms that the question of the departure of the two Norwegian ships might be raised suddenly at any time after the arrival of the two tankers. We are confident that Boheman clearly understood the foregoing.

We have told the British Embassy that you will make this clear to the Foreign Office.

2. A careful rereading of our 6112 leads us to believe that the penultimate sentence of paragraph numbered 2 [1 (d)?] may give a wrong impression. The purpose of the visit of BEW and MEW representatives to Stockholm is to study statistical and other data which Boheman tells us are only available in Sweden and which can best be explained by responsible Swedish officials on the spot. Negotiations, according to our present plan, would take place in London. Preparatory studies, to be supplemented by the report of the experts to be sent to Stockholm, are now taking place in Washington between representatives of the Department, the British Embassy, and the BEW and it is anticipated that these will be in proper shape early next week for further discussion with the combined boards in Washington.

3. The substance of this telegram and of our 6112 should be communicated to the Foreign Office and other interested British authorities.

Hull