124.60d/1a: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace

1956. Your 1992, May 5, 8 p.m.

As soon as necessary legislation can be procured from Congress to establish Diplomatic Mission in Finland, Department proposes to recommend one of the Senior Secretaries of the Diplomatic Service for appointment as Minister and hopes that legislation can be procured by July 1.

In the meanwhile Department suggests Mission may wish to consider sending temporary Diplomatic Commission on visit of sympathy and felicitation from the Government and people of the United States to Finland upon achieving independence.

I believe we should take some step to show sympathy and friendship and believe this could be effected by sending a Commissioner with rank of Minister Plenipotentiary accompanied by appropriate Military, Commercial and Financial Attachés, who could be selected from men now in Europe.

If you are unwilling to send such a Commissioner I would recommend that Consul Haynes be appointed temporarily as Commissioner of the United States with rank of Minister Plenipotentiary. This would probably require his subsequent transfer to another post upon the arrival of a duly accredited Minister, but the Director of the Consular Service informs me that such a transfer would not conflict with the plans he has for the personnel of the Consular Service.

Polk