740.00112 EW/1–945: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 9—9:37 a.m.]
276. For Department, Crowley50 and Fleming FEA from Stone. ReDepts 154 January 6 to London, number to Stockholm unknown.51
British are cabling their Minister in Stockholm today requesting immediate assurance from Sweden that no exports will be sent to Norway and Denmark before specific approval is given by JSC. In addition, British are requesting Swedes to submit a complete list of commodities carried over from 1944 barter deals and any other commodities they desire to export in next 2 months. For your information, MEW is considering a procedure under which London and Washington would scrutinize lists of proposed exports in advance, and if we were satisfied as to end use, Stockholm JSC would be given authority to approve individual export permits on the spot, referring any substantial alterations to us. Under this procedure, (which is not being discussed with Swedes in Stockholm), we would reserve the right to veto any category or item of trade which we found to be of value to the enemy. We would also be free to withhold approval should there be any radical change in our policy.
We assume that detention of Falsterbohus at Faroes (reDept’s 100 January 4 to London, 23 to Stockholm), will not be necessary if the Swedes satisfy us that all exports to Norway and Denmark have stopped in accordance with final sentence in Department’s 154, January 6.
This message repeated to Stockholm as our 29, January 9 noon. [Stone.]