858.2546/3–850: Telegram

The Embassy in Sweden to the Secretary of State

top secret

305. Mytel 302 today.1 In discussing Swedish uranium export legislation with Hammarskjold2 I took occasion to emphasize again the importance I attribute to Sweden taking the utmost security precautions to prevent Russians obtaining any information re successful development of any Swedish process for extracting Uranium from low grade shale (mytel 143, February 2, 11 a. m.)1

Secretary General assured me Swedish Government was fully aware of importance this question. He added, however, that the more he saw of security problems the less confident he is of effective measures for their solution. He mentioned Fuchs’ case in this connection and the fact that MI–53 had generally been regarded as a very effective security organ. I gathered from his attitude that he is none too sure of regarding effectiveness of Swedish security measures.

In this connection I said I hoped during his presence here for the “peace conference”4 Joliot-Curie would confine his activities to conference business and would not be allowed to delve into atomic energy questions. He said Swedish Government has this well in mind but admitted that Swedish scientists were sometimes more than a little naive.

Sent Department 305; London pass Department from Stockholm.

Holmes
5
  1. Not printed.
  2. Dag H. A. C. Hammarskjold, Secretary-General of the Swedish Foreign Office.
  3. Not printed.
  4. British Intelligence.
  5. Reference is to the March 1950 meeting of the World Peace Council in Stockholm. Documentation on the conference and its “Stockholm Appeal” for banning atomic weapons, March 19, is scheduled for publication in volume iv.
  6. Julius C. Holmes, Chargé of the Embassy in London through which this telegram was transmitted.