740.00112 European War 1939/9978: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
Washington, February
10, 1944—11 p.m.
1047. Department and FEA have carefully considered Stockholm’s 384 (76 to you), February 5,32 and offer the following comments therein:
- 1.
- We are unable to accept the Swedish plea that they did not have the means to control iron ore exports in 1943, whereas they do have such control for the current year. The Swedes were obliged under the 1939 Anglo-Swedish agreement to keep specified exports within certain ceilings and their failure to devise satisfactory means to carry out this obligation cannot be accepted as an excuse for not living up to this obligation.
- 2.
- We do not think it feasible to defer making our representations to the Swedes until Hägglöf arrives in London as we are too pressed for time inasmuch as unless we obtain assurances regarding Swedish exports in the first quarter and first half of 1944, the first quarter will be so nearly over that our objectives will be compromised.
We wish to emphasize again the importance which we attach to reaching a satisfactory solution at the earliest possible moment of the matters set out in our 618 and 619 of January 2533 and subsequent telegrams and trust you will continue to work with MEW to that end.
Stettinius