740.00112 European War 1939/10015: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 25—8:21 a.m.]
252. My 244 January 22, 9 p.m., and 251 January 24, 6 p.m.23—53 and 54 to London. When I gave Boheman memorandum on January 2224 covering iron ore export questions at same time receiving Foreign Office’s memorandum25 in reply to joint American-British memorandum of December 1, 1943, he made following comments: Circumstances controlling shipments of iron ore from Sweden to Germany in 1944 are entirely different to those which obtained in 1943. Structure of new trade agreement with Germany is on new bases. In previous trade agreements with Germany there was no limit to amount of iron ore exports except price. No one expected that limit could be attained. In new agreement26 there is definite limitation in that Swedes can and will refuse licenses for any amount in excess of 7 million ton ceiling. Shipments can now be restricted through new [Page 466] method from Narvik, a form of control at the port which Swedes did not have previously. Every ton of export is now subject to license. This applies to ball bearings and other commodities also. Boheman emphasized that terms of new German trade agreement are in every detail in accord with Anglo-American-Swedish London declarations27 and that latter have been most scrupulously adhered to in formulating new German agreement.
With reference to memorandum I handed him on January 22, which was similar in substance to signed note given him at same time by British Minister (who had specific detailed instructions) he asked how we had derived figure of 200,000 tons for any month of first quarter of 1944 and figure of 488,000 tons as total for first quarter of 1944. Boheman said that his Government wanted to have this point cleared up before giving a final answer to our protests. Neither Mallet28 nor I was able to give him any explanation as to derivation of these figures. Boheman gave no intimation that our proposal with respect to these figures would be agreed to.
Repeated to London as my 55.