Office of the Historian

Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation, lot 64 D 199, “Finland”

No. 415
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs (Raynor)

confidential
[Washington,] September 11, 1953.

Subject:

  • Courtesy Visit of Finnish Foreign Minister and the Governor of the Bank of Finland

Participants:

  • Mr. Ralf Torngren, Finnish Foreign Minister
  • Mr. Sakari Tuomioja, Governor of the Bank of Finland
  • Minister Johann A. Nykopp, Legation of Finland
  • The Secretary
  • Mr. H. Raynor, Director, BNA

Mr. Torngren, Foreign Minister of Finland, accompanied at his request by Mr. Tuomioja, Governor of the Bank of Finland and Minister Nykopp paid a courtesy call on the Secretary this morning.

US–Finnish Relations

The Secretary said he wanted to express the high esteem in which the Finnish people were held in this country. He said their record, their traditions, and successful overcoming of many obstacles had created a deep feeling of high regard for Finland in this country.

The Foreign Minister thanked the Secretary for this statement and said he also wanted to thank the Secretary for the help which had been rendered to Finland by this country which had been invaluable.

At the close of the meeting the Secretary said that while, of course, he could make no promises he wanted the Foreign Minister and Governor to know that if there was any way in which this country could be helpful he could assure them that any requests would receive warm and sympathetic consideration.

Economic Conditions

The Secretary inquired as to the present economic situation in Finland and the Foreign Minister and the Governor replied that it was not good and that the fundamental problem was a matter of high production costs.

Soviet Intentions

The Secretary referred to the location of Finland and to the fact that they must, therefore, follow Soviet developments closely and inquired as to their opinion of present Soviet policy. The Foreign [Page 769] Minister replied that they were, he felt, in a period of consolidation and that at least for a while we would hear more of peace from Russia and that for the time being there would probably not be further aggressions. He appeared to agree that fundamental Soviet objectives had not changed and that they are now, as indicated above, in a tactical period of consolidation. He observed that we must remember that in addition to Bolshevism there was a considerable element of nationalism in the Russian picture.