Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The British Commonwealth, Eastern Europe, the Far East, Volume III

740.00119 European War 1939/1281: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley)

Washington, March 9, 1943—10 p.m.

126. Your 68, January 30 [31], and 148, February 11.²⁰ You are requested to seek an interview with Molotov and reverting to your conversation of January 29 with him regarding Finnish-Soviet relations you should point out to him that during the process of the formation of the new Government in Finland²¹ we had had no opportunity to obtain an answer to his inquiry as to how serious are the grounds for believing that the Finns wish to withdraw from the war. This Government is prepared to estimate the political thinking of the new Finnish Cabinet particularly with regard to peace but it would be helpful in preparing our instructions for our Minister in Helsinki if I might know for my own personal guidance whether if the Finns are seeking peace the Soviet Government would accept the United States as an intermediary to work for direct discussions between the Finnish and Soviet Governments up to the point where they are in secret bilateral negotiations.

Please make it clear that should the Soviet Government feel that there is any other way in which the United States Government can be helpful in this problem we would appreciate receiving its suggestions with regard thereto.

The chief interest of the United States in connection with this question is its belief that the withdrawal of Finland from the war would result in concrete and material advantages to the Soviet Union and to the nations associated with the Soviet Union. I wish to emphasize the fact that the information sought is for the secret information of the United States and not for communication to the Finnish Government. If the reply of the Soviet Government to the question above set forth is in the affirmative, it will be the effort of this Government to persuade the Finnish Government to agree to the proposal and to indicate to this Government the general nature of the terms upon which it would be willing to undertake the secret negotiations suggested.

Welles

20. Latter not printed.
21. Edwin J. Linkomies was appointed Prime Minister of Finland on March 5, 1943, with a new Cabinet which included four new heads of Ministries, among whom was C. Henrik Ramsay as Minister for Foreign Affairs.