740.00112 European War 1939/9650: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 19—8 p.m.]
8087. For Department and FEA from Riefler. Reference my 7892, November 12th, Keller arrived in London and last night handed Foot and me a memorandum dated November 18 describing the Swiss Government’s new proposals. Please inform British Embassy, Washington, and give it copy of the text on behalf of MEW. EWD and MEW will hold a policy meeting on it tomorrow and our comments [Page 888] will follow as soon as we have had an opportunity to study it. Text is as follows:
“Swiss Legation London. Swiss proposals of November 18, 1943.
Pursuant to previous communications through the intermediary of the Swiss Legation (in particular to memorandum of November 12, 1943), the Swiss Government wish to make the following proposals in respect of Swiss exports to Germany and other European Axis countries:
[Here follows schedule of proposed limitation on exports to Germany for the first half of 1944, with additional limitations on exports for the fourth quarter of 1943 to those already in effect.]
Part III. The exports to European Axis countries especially to Germany will thus show in the first half year of 1944 a decrease of about 90 million Swiss francs against one half of total exports in 1942.
Part IV. The Swiss Government have set up the proposals hereabove notwithstanding their being fully aware that serious difficulties in the Swiss economic life will have to be faced as a consequence of their enforcement. These proposals are therefore submitted in the expectation that His Majesty’s Government and the United States Government would accept to meet the Swiss Government on the following points:
Subsection 1, cessation of direct approaches to Swiss firms aimed at limitations in their exports to Axis countries, other than those agreed between the respective governments.
Deletion of the firm of Sulzer Brothers from the ‘statutory list’, and the ‘proclaimed list’ (should the firm meanwhile have been included therein).
Subsection 2, reinstatement of the full food quotas as they existed up to April 1943 and reopening of a satisfactory quota for fodder.
November 18, 1943.”
Winant