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

740.00119 European War 1939/1366: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Second Secretary of Embassy in the Soviet Union (Thompson), at Moscow⁴⁵

Washington, March 31, 1943—5 p.m.

183. For the Ambassador. Your 219, March 29.⁴⁶ In view of your 215, March 26, we feel that we should avoid acting as an intermediary so far as terms are concerned and that at least for the present we should confine the use of our good offices to an endeavor to bring about direct contact between the two Governments.

Please, therefore, unless you perceive some objection thereto, seek an early interview with Molotov, outline to him the results of our sounding out of the Finnish Government as set forth in our telegram 174, March 27,⁴⁷ and state that you have been instructed to inform him as follows:

1. We feel that we can be more helpful at the present time if we limit our good offices to efforts to bring about direct contact between the Soviet and Finnish Governments and if we do not undertake to act as an intermediary in exchanging information with regard to possible peace terms.

2. We therefore, do not intend to make any reply to the inquiry of the Finnish Foreign Minister with regard to the basis on which the conversations would be conducted.

3. We would like to be in a position to reply to the Finnish Foreign Minister that while we cannot undertake to extend our good offices beyond endeavors to arrange for direct contact between the two Governments, in the event the Finnish Government is prepared to participate in a direct and confidential exchange of views with the Soviet Government, the Soviet Government for its part would be similarly disposed.

4. We would appreciate learning whether such a reply on our part at Helsinki would be agreeable to the Soviet Government.

5. We appreciate the confidence which the Soviet Government has shown by making known for our exclusive information the terms which it would be prepared to accept in negotiations looking to a separate peace with Finland.

6. In view of the immediate and far-reaching advantages which we believe would accrue not only to the Soviet Union but to the entire prosecution of the war against the common enemy from the abandonment by Finland of its association with Germany and the restoration of peace with the Soviet Union it is our earnest hope that the contact which we are endeavoring to bring about between the two Governments can be effected and will lead to fruitful results.

You may hand Molotov for his convenience a memorandum containing the substance of the six numbered paragraphs set forth above.

Hull

45. A notation by the Assistant Chief of the Division of European Affairs, attached to this telegram, reads: “We have redrafted this telegram so that we believe the present text conforms with the wishes of Welles.”
46. Not printed.
47. See footnote 43, p. 258.