861.24557H/3–2847
The Ambassador in Norway (Bay) to the Secretary of State
No. 810
Sir: I have the honor to report that after a dinner at the French Embassy on the evening of March 22, Mr. Andvord, Secretary General [Page 1018] of the Foreign Office, told me in private conversation that the Norwegian Government had not yet received any reply from the U.S.S.R. to its note (reference Embassy’s telegram No. 86, February 201) communicating the resolution adopted by the Norwegian Storting with respect to Svalbard. He then told me that a Soviet representative to the United Nations had recently stated to the Norwegian representative to that organization—the names of these representatives were not given—that “Norway need not have been so prompt about sending the note”. I asked Mr. Andvord how he interpreted this and he said that, on the basis of his experience during his term as Norwegian Ambassador to the U.S.S.R., as well as upon his general knowledge of Soviet methods, it was his definite belief that the Soviet remark was inspired from Moscow. I asked if he had any idea as to why the U.S.S.R. was disappointed in receiving the note “so promptly”, and he stated as his personal opinion that the U.S.S.R would possibly have preferred not being on notice to the effect that their request for Svalbard militarization had been rejected by Norway; that the Soviet receipt of such rejection at the beginning of the Foreign Ministers’ Conference in Moscow would possibly put a brake on similar Soviet plans for other areas (possibly meaning the Dardanelles).
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩