COMMENT ON ORAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO NIE-45-FINLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R01012A001300050021-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2005
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: January 15, 1953
• Content Type: STATEMENT

Approved For Rel a 2005/04/ , fi x OP79R01012AO 00050021-8
15 January 1953
COMMENT ON ORAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO NIE-45-F nland
1. The Finns have repeatedly re-affirmed their intention to
remain outside the present "cold war" conflict. Finland's "neutrality",
however, is necessarily qualified by its proximity to the USSR, and
the Mutual Defense Pact which exists between the two countries.
2. It should be emphasized that the Finns are aware of the
risks entailed in permitting an important part of their industrial
capacity to remain dependent on Soviet orders. They are confident,
however, that with Social Democratic control of the trade union fed-
eration they can successfully cope with any kind of Soviet-inspired
economic pressure. The Finns hope eventually to be able to reduce
production costs which would enable them to compete on the world market.
It should be noted that Finland is only capable of producing
a limited number of tankers of 5,000 gross tons or less.
In reference to the last line of page 4 and the first two
lines of page five, it is not at all clear what the phase "above
pressures" refers to. It is suggested that this sentence be red
written as follows: "It is unlikely that Finnish-Soviet trade will
exceed much more than 25 percent of Finland's total foreign trade.
However, such an extent of trade could..."
3. The rank-and-file as opposed to some Party leaders~ of the
two major parties, the Social Democratic and the Agraria y emain
opposed to Communist participation in the government,
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SECURITY INFf31ATION
b. Finland:
(1). We feel para. 2 is slightly out of date, and would suggest the
following changes:
(a) Delete 3rd & 4th sentences and replace by:
"Trade with the Soviet Union has grown very appreciably.
The trade agreement concluded in 1950 and the prices fixed in 1951 have
tended to promote this growth. Further, the supplementary agreement con-
cluded in September 1952 enabled, inter alia, such products of the woodwork-
ing industry to be disposed of to the Soviet Union as could not be sold else-
where. Grain, sugar, steel, oils, etc., are obtained in exchange. As trade
relations have also been established with China, the share of eastern trade
is likely to increase."
Approved For Release 2005/04/26 : CIA-RDP79R01012A001300050021-8