800.85/9–2244: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:12 p.m.]
7868. ReDepts 7664, September 20 and previous. In accordance with the Department’s instructions and in line with the procedure outlined in the Embassy’s 7783 September 20, 8 p.m. the Swedish Minister was handed a memorandum this afternoon inviting his Government to participate in the Inter-Allied Shipping Agreement.
The Minister stated that his Government was not entirely unfamiliar with the Agreement and that he had in fact already seen and read a copy. He expressed the opinion that his Government would agree [Page 701] in principle to appoint representatives to discuss Sweden’s adherence to the Agreement but he added that his Government would also wish to discuss simultaneously related questions which it felt were intimately tied up with the Shipping Agreement, namely the provision of essential imports such as coal and other commodities. The participation of Sweden in post-war export trade was also mentioned. The Minister was told that questions of supply and access to markets were outside the scope of the Agreement and had not been discussed with the nations signatory to the Agreement. He replied that Sweden as a neutral was in a somewhat different position than the other signatory governments who were members of the United Nations. While they presumably had access to the Combined Boards and UNRRA and could bring up supply questions with them there was no similar competent authority with whom neutral nations could discuss such matters. The Swedish Government would therefore, he felt, wish some assurance that there was somebody with whom these questions could be discussed at the same time as the question of placing Swedish shipping at the disposal of the United Nations was being discussed. The Minister requested that this position of Sweden be made clear to the British and American Governments at the same time that he transmitted the invitation to his Government.
It is evident that the Swedish Government had complete prior knowledge of the Agreement and has decided to make its possible accession to the Agreement a bargaining point for the securing of post-war supply commitments. The Minister was told that his observations would be reported but it was made clear that the Shipping Agreement, as such, was entirely separate from questions of supply.
The Foreign Office has promised to give us their observations after they have discussed the matter with other departments concerned. Other details with regard to notification to UNRRA and press release will be cabled tomorrow.