196. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Finland0
163. Early afternoon Nov 17 Finnish Ambassador contacted Dept to relay request to Secretary he had received by telephone from ForMin Karjalainen. Karjalainen had said he understands we wish to be as helpful to Finland as possible in its current difficulties and is very appreciative this attitude. Karjalainen hoped we would not make any strong statement at this juncture. To do so would complicate Finland’s efforts to resolve matters. We told Ambassador we did not contemplate issuing any press statement. Report of Secretary’s comments on Finnish situation during Press Conference this afternoon by separate cable.1
Finnish Ambassador Seppala called at Dept later in afternoon. Stated he had talked to Karjalainen by telephone this morning. Said Karjalainen had sounded cheerful and told him he believed Finnish problem with Soviets could still be settled satisfactorily. Ambassador noted that Karjalainen had not yet spoken to Ambassador Wuori who was returning from Moscow. Finnish Ambassador continued that Karjalainen said it seemed to him that Finnish talks with Soviets would have to continue now. ForMin still felt it would be best for Finland to handle situation alone, and that expressions of support from West might make it more difficult for Finns.
Finnish Ambassador was told US watching situation very closely and we would welcome keeping in close touch with both Ambassador and Finnish Government. Pouching MemCon.2
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 660E.61/11–1761. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Cook; cleared by BNA, SOV, and S/S; and approved by Burdett. Repeated to London, Paris, Moscow, Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen.↩
- For a transcript of Secretary Rusk’s November 17 press conference, see Department of State Bulletin, December 4, 1961, p. 924.↩
- A memorandum of Seppala’s conversation with Tyler is in Department of State, Central Files, 760E.00/11–1761.↩