Office of the Historian

740.00112 European War 1939/9361: Telegram

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

London, September 23, 1943—9 p.m.
[Received September 23—8:45 p.m.]

6379. For Department and Stone and Canfield, OEW. Reference Department’s 5637, September 15.

1.
At 12:30 p.m. on September 23, the agreement with Sweden was initialed at MEW. Agreement was put into effect by a note based wholly on covering letter prepared originally for Sir Orme Sargent’s signature.
2.
Text of agreement was substantially that of draft of June 19 as amended by Riefler’s letter of July 9; with exception of minor alterations and acceptance of one change in section 11 of Swedish declaration, there were no amendments.
3.
Embassy and MEW believed it entirely advisable to accept Swedish reservation regarding export of trawlers inasmuch as acceptance of this amendment to section 11 would greatly strengthen our stand regarding the inadmissibility of export of producer gas aggregates. Agreement as signed included all amendments in Riefler’s letter of July 9. Annexes were as reported to Department. Commitments calling for exports of copper and copper alloys wrought and unwrought have not yet been stated. In annex 3 of Swedish declaration they and the commitment for export of furfurol (ex rubric 540: 2) were represented by interrogation points. The same treatment is given in annex 2 to rubric 532 resin soap or glue as the Swedish [Page 805] Government desires that the limitation on the export on this item be discussed in the Joint Standing Commission.
4.
Simultaneous with initialing of note, memorandum which follows regarding export of producer gas aggregates was presented to Swedes:
“In order to avoid any misunderstanding, His Majesty’s Government and the U.S. Government desire to inform the Swedish Government that they have given careful consideration to the possibility of allowing exceptions to the prohibitions of export laid down in the Swedish declaration in addition to the exceptions specified in that declaration, and annexes thereto. His Majesty’s Government and the U.S. Government do not exclude the possibility of making exceptions in certain cases. They wish, however, to make clear that they cannot agree to any such exceptions in the case of the following means of transport, the export of which is prohibited by paragraph 11 of the Swedish declaration, viz., producer gas aggregates (tariff number 1804 : 1), railway carriages, etcetera, (tariff numbers 1890–3), railway and tramway material (tariff numbers 1895–1906), automobile and chassis, (tariff numbers 1907–8, 1911), bicycles, (tariff number 1917).”
Oral comment similar to that which American and British Ministers were instructed to make in Stockholm was made by Riefler.
5.
At the same time there was a discussion of the serious situation brought about by the detention of the three tankers by the Germans. (Swedes informed Embassy today that the Falsterbohns was probably also to be added to the number of tankers detained.)
6.
Note as initialed and declarations, etc., will be transmitted by air mail.
Winant