199. Editorial Note

On December 4, the Fagerholm government submitted its resignation to President Kekkonen. The Cabinet crisis, which led to the fall of the majority coalition government, was precipitated by the withdrawal of the Agrarian Ministers whose party had taken the position that the Fagerholm government could no longer maintain good relations with the Soviet Union. (Despatch 447 from Helsinki, January 14, 1959; Department of State, Central Files, 760E.00/1–1459)