228. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom0
588. Department today handed Greenhill, Counselor British Embassy, Note on question revising Finnish Peace Treaty.1 Following is brief summary of Note. (For Helsinki: text is identical to draft note attached to Position Paper2 pouched July 20.)
Remains opinion US that revision Finnish Peace Treaty permit Finland acquire guided missiles would result in net military disadvantage for West. Disadvantage not so great however as to make military factor by itself decisive. US also remains of opinion that policies pursued by Kekkonen do not give grounds much confidence that he would be prepared withstand Soviet pressures. Record of events in Finnish-Soviet relations past six to eight months is one of dangerous compromises and accommodations with USSR. There is reason to fear that after Finnish purchase missiles from USSR, Finland may not carry through with purchases from West if Soviets object. Nevertheless US agrees with UK on importance strengthening pro-Western military leadership in Finland. Clearly in our interest avoid giving Finnish military impression they have been deserted by West and argument can be advanced that strengthening Finnish armed forces will make possible rejection future Soviet demands on Finland for consultation under Article II of 1948 Treaty.
US–UK objectives accordingly should be to strengthen Finnish armed forces with Western weapons while guarding against preponderant Finnish purchases from USSR. US prepared to facilitate Finnish purchases from US sources at attractive prices of weapons not prohibited by Peace Treaty. Similiar action by UK would be helpful. Proceeding this fashion would contribute to strengthening Finnish armed forces without disadvantage involved in revising Treaty.
Finnish proposals for revising Treaty (according to Foreign Office memo June 28 to Embassy London) accord disproportionate opportunities to Soviet Bloc. Arrangements are at hand for acquiring missiles from USSR while purchases from UK dependent on future appropriations Finnish Parliament. Specifically US Government wishes to know what [Page 473] undertakings UK has in mind obtaining from Finland to assure, if Treaty revised, that purchases will in fact be roughly balanced between East and West. Unless there are such undertakings from Finnish political as well as military authorities revision of Treaty likely to facilitate purchases from Soviet Bloc.
US Government continues believe its consent required prior to release Bloodhound and Thunderbird missiles to Finland. US prepared however to hold joint consultation at technical level with a view to resolve misunderstandings and differences of opinion.
End summary, full text being pouched.
Department informed Greenhill we would appreciate early reaction to Note since we were getting number of indications that Finns interested in acquiring weapons from US. Greenhill reiterated urgency involved in settling problems connected with Thunderbird and Bloodhound missiles. Department suggested S–DMICC (State–Defense Military Information Control Committee) might meet with its British counterpart to resolve outstanding questions.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 760E.5612/5–2762. Secret. Drafted by Christensen, cleared by MC, and approved by Burdett. Repeated to Helsinki, Moscow, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Reykjavik, and Paris Topol.↩
- A memorandum of conversation is ibid., 396.1/7–2762. After reading the position paper, Greenhill commented that the United States had come “halfway along the road.”↩
- Document 226.↩