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

740.00119 European War 1939/1352: Telegram

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

Moscow, March 21, 1943—noon.
[Received 4:42 p.m.]

185. My 155, March 13, 4 p.m. I called on Molotov last evening at his request. He referred to our conversation of March 12 at which he stated that I had requested advice as to the attitude of the Soviet Government in regard to a proposal that the American Government act as intermediary between the Soviet and Finnish Governments “for the purpose of ascertaining the possibility of a separate peace” and, reading from a prepared statement he stated in translation substantially as follows:

“By virtue of the Anglo-Soviet Treaty of May 26, 1942,³³ neither Government may conduct negotiations with Germany or its Allies except by mutual agreement. The Soviet Government has requested the opinion of the British Government in regard to the matter and is awaiting a reply. In principle the Soviet Government considers that negotiations with the Finnish Government are admissible. However, the Soviet Government has no reason to expect positive results from the negotiations. The present Finnish leaders violated the peaceful relations existing between the Soviet Union and Finland. The Soviet Government has no information which would lead it to believe that Finland can break away from Germany, desires to do so, or is willing to offer conditions which would be acceptable to the Soviet Union.

“I will keep you informed of subsequent developments in this respect. Please advise your Government of what I have stated to you.”

I had not received your 156 of March 18, 5 p.m.,³⁴ prior to my conversation with Molotov and I shall not communicate its substance to him pending further instructions.

Standley

33. The Treaty of Alliance in the War against Hitlerite Germany and Her Associates in Europe, and Collaboration and Mutual Assistance thereafter, between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Soviet Union, was signed in London on May 26, 1942. For text, see League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. cciv, p. 353; see also telegrams Nos. 2897, May 24, 1942, and 2922, May 26, 1942, from the Ambassador in the United Kingdom, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. iii, pp. 558 and 564, respectively.
34. Not printed; but see telegram No. 43, March 19, 6 p.m., to the Chargé in Finland, p. 250, the substance of which was cabled to Moscow as telegram No. 156.