740.00112 European War 1939/7–1344: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Sweden (Johnson)
1431. Ambassador Winant has made the point that the aide-mémoire quoted in Department’s 1362, July 10 even as redrafted (Department’s 1400, July 14)2 might gratuitously provide the Swedes with an argument for resisting any new demands with respect to 1944 trade since by stressing the fact that we would not recognize new commitments for 1945 as valid reasons for failing to meet our demands we would establish by implication the validity of existing commitments as a reason for continuing Swedish exports this year.
Accordingly, you are instructed to join with Mallet, as soon as he receives amended instructions, before July 20 in making a démarche to the Swedish Foreign Minister to obtain an immediate assurance from his Government that it will not enter into any fresh commitments with the enemy regarding exports of any commodities without previous consultation with the Allied Governments. In view, however, [Page 582] of the fact that we may in the near future make drastic demands upon Sweden you should eliminate the phrase “more especially bearings, et cetera” which appears in paragraph 2 of London’s 5397, July 8, repeated to Stockholm as London’s 250.
In the event that the Foreign Minister does not give a definite assurance forthwith, you should inform him that in general your Government reserves all of its rights with regard to the matter and in particular would be unable to recognize any fresh commitments as the basis for Swedish refusal of any future requests by your Government.
At the same time you should immediately initiate the informal approaches authorized in Department’s 1391, July 13 taking care, however, to observe the injunction contained in the penultimate paragraph of that telegram.
Sent to Stockholm, repeated to London as Department’s no. 5613.