740.00112 European War 1939/8827: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 6—9:03 a.m.]
2076. In a short conversation this morning with Hägglöf he intimated definitely that Swedes will not communicate their decision on draft documents for Anglo-American-Swedish Trade Agreement until they have received some indication of our own views. Question of form of Swedish declaration covering transit traffic referred to in my 2027, July 1, 6 p.m., is still causing Government difficulty. Hägglöf reiterated that objection is to expression that “Swedish Government undertakes”. He said objection is to form and not to substance as Swedish Government has already made its mind up to stop traffic. Greatest difficulty now he said is our demand that oil and oil products be included in prohibition by Swedish Government of material in [Page 784] transit. Government apparently would find it extremely difficult to press this point with Germans and wants to stick to 193 [1935?] definition of war materials.70 Hägglöf intimated that several members of Government would prefer to find another occasion for excluding oil which would be more convenient from Swedish point of view in negotiations with Germans.
Repeated to London as our 345.