Office of the Historian

740.00119 EW/2–646

The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Secretary of State

top secret
Washington, February 6, 1946.

My Dear Secretary of State: Mr. Bevin has asked me to remind you of the aide-mémoire which he handed to you on January 14th about the control of the Great Belt. I enclose a copy3 for ease of reference.

The Swedish Minister in London4 has informed Mr. Bevin confidentially that M. Lie5 recently expressed to him the opinion that the Russians would leave Bornholm when the question of the Kiel Canal and the entrances to the Baltic had been settled. H.M.G. are anxious to reach an early agreement with the United States Government on a common line of action on this question. Mr. Bevin hopes therefore you may soon be able to give him your views.

Yours sincerely,

Halifax
  1. Supra.↩
  2. Bjorn Gustaf Prytz.↩
  3. Trygve Halvdan Lie, Chairman of the Norwegian Delegation to the General Assembly, United Nations; appointed Secretary General of the United Nations February 1, 1946.↩