RUMORED SOVIET TERRITORIAL DEMANDS FROM FINLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91T01172R000200290036-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 12, 2005
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: April 13, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
13 APRIL 1953
RUMORED SOVIET TERRITORIAL DEMANDS FROM FINLAND
During recent weeks rumors of Soviet territorial demands
on Finland have persistently circulated within that country
and Sweden despite official denials from the Finnish Govern-
ment, The Soviet Union has reportedly asked for all of Fin-
nish Lapland north of the 68th parallel. Finland, in exchange,
would regain the city of Viipuri and its surrounding area
which was ceded to the USSR under the 1947 peace treaty. (See
Map)
At least some of the rumors have been traced to exiled
Karelians in Finland who would favor exchanging the barren,
unproductive territory in northern Finland for their former
homeland. On one occasion the American Legation in Helsinki
definitely established that a then current rumor involving
territorial exchanges with the USSR was traceable to an Agra-
rian member of Parliament who had large land holdings in for-
mer Finnish Karelia,
No formal Soviet demand on Finland for such a territorial
exchange is known to have been made thus far. It is possible,
however, that the Soviet Union might make some proposal along
these lines in the event that a change in the relationship
of Norway and Sweden with respect to the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization appeared imminent.
If such an offer were made, the Finnish Government would
be faced with a decision which would cause much internal dis-
sension regardless of the final outcome, The Karelians and
the more nationalistic Finns who have strong emotional and
sentimental attachments to Karelia would urge acceptance.
On the other hand, probably an even larger segment of the
population would demand rejection of the proposal on the
grounds that acceptance would merely be a preliminary to
greater demands which would further jeopardize Finnish inde-
pendence. Sweden and Norway would almost certainly exert
strong pressure on the Finnish Government to reject the offer,
State Department review completed
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If a territorial exchange were made, Sweden would share
a common boundary with Russia and Soviet forces would be
within 70 miles of the northern Swedish iron ore fields. In
addition, existing Swedish defense plans for the area would
be further complicated. Norway's northern frontier with the
USSR would be considerably extended and the already weak and
exposed Norwegian defenses in the province of Finnmark would
be further threatened. Occupation of the enclave of Finnish
territory extending between Sweden and Norway would advance
Soviet territory to less than 30 miles of the Arctic Ocean in
the Tromsoe area.
The Soviet Union has made no serious attempt at large-
scale resettlement or rehabilitation of Viipuri or the sur-
rounding area. This lack of activity has served to strengthen
speculation that the Soviet Union intends to retain the area
as a future bargaining point, On the other hand, it would
be strategically disadvantageous for the USSR to move the
Finnish border nearer Leningrad unless Soviet control over
Finland could at the same time be strengthened.
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Narvik
FINLAND
Area rumored to be
ceded to U.S.S.R.
Area rumored to be
returned to FINLAND
--- Pre-War boundary
-?- Present boundary
0 20 40 80
I STATUTE MILES
? -r
Leningrad