740.0011 Moscow/39u: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the American Delegation
Washington, October
18, 1943—11 p.m.
1017. Amdel 24. Johnson2 reported from Stockholm that in conversation on the 9th Boheman3 expressed Sweden’s profound interest in outcome of the conference to extent it would have bearing on the Northern countries. He made following statements orally as to [Page 567] Swedish position and policy towards certain problems and hoped they might be of interest:
- 1.
- Swedes believe Norway and Denmark will be liberated as outcome of the war and restored to complete independence.
- 2.
- They feel prospects for Finland’s future are much less clear. Finns feel they have right to ask for full liberty and independence which would mean a frontier drawn without foreign enclaves, such as Hango in Russian hands and without destruction of Finland’s most important industrial areas (Saima–Viborg frontier) and more than anything else complete independence in conduct of their domestic policy.
- 3.
- It is of primary importance to Sweden that Finland remain independent.
- 4.
- Sweden intensely desires both for political and economic reasons to have best possible relations with U.S.S.R. and sincerely feels that not only correct relations but relations based on mutual confidence between it and U.S.S.R. are of utmost importance for security of north.
- 5.
- Sweden is convinced a free Finland would adhere to that peaceful policy of Sweden and other northern countries in Finnish relations with U.S.S.E. and Sweden would use all its influence to that end which it has no doubt would succeed. Sweden feels such a common Northern policy in that respect could be arrived at and would be most satisfactory result for Russia also. Swedish and Finnish people and in Swedish opinion surely peoples of Denmark and Norway also are confident Allied Powers in conformity with repeatedly declared principles would consider it necessary for Finland to retain this independence. Sweden fears that if these hopes are not realized far-reaching reactions on public opinion in the North will follow and peoples of those countries will lose their confidence and hope in future organized peace.
[Stettinius]