Evening star., 1939-11-13
Talks Broken,
Finn Delegation
ToQuit Moscow
Naval Base, Frontier
Revision Believed
Stumbling Blocks
By the Associated Press.

- " o
By the Associated Press.
HELSINKI, Nov. 13-The Finnish
foreign Office announced today that
its delegation in Moscow would leave
for home tonight. suspending the
lengthy negotiations by which
Russia has been. seeking concessions
from Finland. -.
The foreign Office announcement
was made shortly after2 pm.
Previously Foreign Minister Elias
Erkko had said that only last min
ute' modification of Soviet demands
for territorial concessions could pre-.
vent recall of the Firms from
Moscow. =
Negotiating Since October Z.
The negotiations were Initiated
October Z after Russia had won con-
cessions from Latvia, Estonia and
Lithuania, strengthening her mill
tary position in the west and north.
Moscow discussion of the Russian
demands in the past five days has
consisted of an exhange of notes on
minor points.
The returning delegation is sched-
uled to arrive Ia Helsinki Wednes-
day. 1t had been given authority
to return whenever there appeared
to be no hope for further progress.
Finance Minister Vaino Tanner
early this afternoon advised the for
eign Office of the decision to return.
Resumption is Uncertain.
"There are no indications that
further progress through negotia-
tions is possible" Erkko said in an
interview.
Asked whether the negotiations
might be resumed later, Erkko re-
piled:
THAT depends on circumstances" "
The foreign minister did not
specify the points on which the nego-
tiations were stalled. Observers ex-
pressed belief. however, that the
stumbling blocks were Russia de-
mands for a naval base on Finnish
territory at the entrance to the Gulf
of Finland and revision of the south
ern border between the two countries
on the Karelian ISthmuS.
Erkko limited at this Interpretation
when he said to an American news
paperman:
II believe there is a place called
Sandy Hook outside New York Har-
Dor. How would you like to hand
that over to some onee"
He shrugged of as part Of the
game" a weekend barrage of Rus-
sian press attacks on Finlal.d's FOB
stinacy," but added: -
When press attacks are Inspired
we have to take them into con-
slderation as part Of the discus
sion'
Warns of Dangerous Came"
The Russian press comment in
cluded warning from the news
paper Trud, Soviet trade union
organ, that Finland is playing "a
dangerous game" which may have
grave results"
An article in the Red Fleet, Rus
sian naval newspaper, said that to
protect Leningrad the Soviet must
gain control of both sides of the
Gulf of Finland as we'll as Finnish
areas on the Arctic coast west of
Murmansk.
Finland now has access to the
Arctic ocean through a narrow strip
Of land between Norway and Rus
sia.
All Russian newspapers also car
ried dispatch by Tass, official
Soviet news agency, accusing the
Firms of intensifying their attitude
of "irreconcilability" in the Moscow
negotiations.
Troops Not at Border.
Commenting on a statement by
Tass that Finland was concentrate
ing troops on the Russian border
Erkko SAID that Finland had
strengthened the troops at our dis
posal and called up reserves"
THAT is natural when there are
discussions about changes in our
territory" he declared. However
these troops are not even at the
border and are only in defensive
positions"
1--WE have stressed all the time,
the foreign minister continued, that
we are willing to consider questions
which are of defensive value for the
Russians, but at the same time we
must look to our defenses and oul
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