Evening star., 1939-11-01
Finland Win display necessary

0A@111o Wlu 0DpAny 00Cooo2Iy
understanding.
What has been the basis Of re-
lations between the Soviet Union
and Finland during al these
years? The basis Of these rela-
tions has been the peace treaty
Of 1920. which was on the pattern
Of our treaties with our Other
Baltic neighbour. OF its own FREQ
will tn Soviet Union insured the
separate and Independent exist
ence Of Finland.
It must b. said that none but
the Soviet government In Russia
could tolerate the existence Of
m independent Finland ct the
very gates Of Leningrad. -
Report Of Demands Of
Islands' Cessation Lie.
There Is scarcely any need to
dwell on the tales spread -
about the Soviet Unions pro-
posals In the negotiations with
Finland. Some assert that the
y. 8. s. r. demands" the city
Of Viipuri (vyborg) and the
northern part Of Ladoga. Let
US say for our part that this is
sheer fabrication and q lie. Yet
others assert that the u. 8. 8. r.
demands cessation Of the Aaland
Islands. This also Is fabrication
and q lie.
Actually our proposals In ne
gotiations with Finland are ex-
tremely modest and are confined
to that minimum without which
1t Is impossible to safeguard the
security Of the U. 8. S. r., and
to put on q firm footing friendly
relations with Finland.
We have begun negotiations
proposing conclusion OF q
Soviet-Finnish pact OF mutual
assistance approximately on the
lines Of our pacts Of mutual as.
sistance with other Baltic states,
but inaSmuch as the Finnish
government declared conclusion
OF such . pact would contradict
its position Of absolute neutrality.
We did not insist on our pro.
posal.
We then proposed that We pro-
coed to discuss concrete cues.
ttons In which we are interested
from the standpoint Of SAFE
guarding the security Of the
y. s. 8. r. and especially Of
Leningrad both from the sea-
IN the Gulf Of Finland-and
from land, in view of the ex-
treme proximity Of the border
to Leningrad.
Propose Swap Of
Karelfa Areas.
We have proposed that n,
agreement be reached to shift the
oviet-Finnish border on the
1sthrnus Of Karelia several dozen
kilorneters farther to the north of
Leningrad. In exchange for this
We have proposed to transfer to
Finland part Of Soviet Karelia,
double the size Of the territory
which Finland is to transfer to
the Soviet Union.
We have further proposed m
agreement be REACHED for Fin
land to lease to u tor d definite
term q small section of her ter
r1tory near the entrance to the
Gull Of Finland where me might
establish q naval base. 80
We have no doubt that estab-
Ashment Of such . base would
not only be in the interests Of
the Soviet Union, but also Of the
security Of Finland herself.
Our other proposals, In partic-
ular our proposal as regards ex-
change Of certain islands in the
Gulf Of Finland as well as parts
OF Rybachi and, Sredni Penin-
sulas for territory twice as large
In Soviet Karelia, evidently do
not meet with any objections on
the part Of the Finnish govern
ment.
Differences Over Proposals
Not Yet Overcome.
Differences with regard to GER
tain Of our proposals have not
yet been overcome, and conces-
sions made by Finland in this re.
spect, Is for instance the cession
Of part Of the territory of Karelia,
obviously do not meet the pur-
pose.
We have further made . num-
Der of new steps to meet Finland
halfway. We declared that II our
main proposals are accepted we
shall be prepared to drop our
objections to fertilization Of the
Aaland Islands. -" We made
only one stipulation: That the
fertilization is done by Finland's
own national forces without the
participation of any third coun-
try, inasmuch as the U. s. 8. r.
will take no part In it.
We also have proposed to Fin
land to disarm fortified zones
along the entire Soviet Finnish
border On the Isthmus OF Karelia,
which should fully accord with
the interests Of Finland.
We have further expressed our
desire to reinforce the Soviet
Finnish pact Of non-aggression
with additional mutual guar
antees.
Lastly, consolidation Of Soviet
Finnish political relations would