740.00112 European War 1939/7–1744: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
5589. From Department and FEA. When Riefler was in Washington, he stated that Swiss intended to handle transit traffic unilaterally and that it would not be included in any new agreement. He also stated that Swiss had agreed to discuss transit of goods in Mixed Commission regardless of their nature if we or the British believed quantities involved exceeded normal traffic levels. In view of this we do not understand instructions given British Legation in Bern in MEW telegram No. 1977 June 3 asking British representatives to discuss with Swiss and Italians suggested additions to list of materials whose transit from Italy to Germany Swiss agreed to prohibit. We are puzzled as to why reference telegram did not specify that discussions should take place in Mixed Commission.
We are satisfied to have the Swiss act unilaterally on transit traffic as long as this achieves objectives we desire. We believe, therefore, that the Swiss should be asked at the earliest opportunity to agree to following: [Page 749]
- 1.
- Swiss list of items classified as war materials should be as comprehensive as Swedish78 and should apply not only to transit from Italy to Germany but also from Germany to Italy. List submitted by Swiss (your despatch No. 14, 923 of April 7)79 is incomplete and applies in one direction only.
- MEW telegram to Washington 835, April 17 stated that list similar to Swedish list had been submitted to Swiss. Have Swiss accepted it?
- 2.
- Will Swiss impose global ceiling (your 2813 of April 679) or do you believe that assurances given by the Swiss to accept goods for transit only on a commercial basis, and to regularize traffic in the event of any abnormal increase, etc., are sufficient? These questions should be discussed with Swiss persistently in order that satisfactory conclusion may be reached.
Telegram has been sent to Bern asking U. S. Legation to discuss transit of apparent abnormally large quantities of pyrites, fluorspar, scrap iron (Germany to Italy), and erica scoparia with Swiss in Mixed Commission. We suggest you discuss this with MEW so that the British Legation in Bern can take parallel action if MEW agrees. [Department and FEA.]