THE END OF COOL RELATIONS

Broadcast on 25 January 1959, in Helsinki

When I was in Leningrad last May during my state visit to the Soviet Union, the Chairman of the City Council, N. I. Smirnov, invited me to visit his city privately with my wife at a later date. I did not forget this kind invitation. Last November I let it be known that I was prepared to make the journey. My message was received with pleasure and I was promised an answer. On January 14th I was informed from the Soviet side that I would be received in Leningrad whenever I was ready to come. Since Soviet-Finnish relations in the course of the autumn had become regrettably cool, I hoped I would have a chance during my private visit for political discussions, and this was considered possible. I regarded it as especially important that an effort be made to remove the coolness in Soviet-Finnish relations before the 21st Congress of the Soviet Communist Party, which is due to begin on January 27th. For this reason I said I would leave immediately after the closing session of Parliament.

The people of Leningrad, who are well known for their hospitality, had provided my wife and myself with many opportunities of seeing their beautiful city. The programme had to be changed, however, when on Thursday morning it became known that the Prime Minister of the Soviet Union, N. S. Khrushchev, with his wife and daughter, had arrived in Leningrad. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Gromyko and Foreign Trade Minister Patolitchev. It appeared that these gentlemen had come at least partly to meet me. When I learned of this, I decided to summon immediately the Minister of Trade, Ahti Karjalainen, to Leningrad, for it had become apparent that here was an opportunity to consider the question of trade negotiations which had remained open for such a long time. As a result of Mr. Karjalainen`s talks, it was agreed that trade negotiations could be started as soon as the Finnish delegation was ready to go to Moscow.

I met with Mr. Khrushchev twice, and our talks lasted altogether more than three hours. We had thorough and frank discussions on Finnish-Soviet relations. We also touched upon some international questions. In his long speech at a luncheon on Friday, Mr. Khrushchev defined the Soviet attitude to Finland. Our social system, he said, was our own concern. What was important for the Soviet Union was that its neighbour Finland should adhere to the policy laid down in our Peace Treaty and in the 1948 Agreement on Friendship and Mutual Assistance. For the benefit of those who in every situation speculate about Soviet intentions to conquer Finland, Mr. Khrushchev in his frank manner dismissed such talk as ravings. He expressed the hope that Finnish-Soviet relations could be restored to the basis of confidence which prevailed at the end of my state visit to the Soviet Union last summer. He also declared that the Soviet Government was prepared to continue negotiations about all the questions that were mentioned in the communique issued at the end of that visit.

In view of speculations regarding new issues that have been assumed to have been raised in these talks, it may be necessary for me to state that Mr. Khrushchev declared at the very beginning of our discussions that the Soviet Union had no new proposals to make. I also ought to mention that it became apparent that the Soviet Union will appoint a new Ambassador to Helsinki in the very near future.

One question which I have already mentioned in my broadcast on December 10th was brought up most forcefully in my discussions. This is the attitude of the Finnish press to the Soviet Union. Mr. Khrushchev in his luncheon speech dealt with this matter at great length. In our private discussions, Foreign Minister Gromyko pointed out that he had a large collection of extracts from the Finnish press in which the Soviet Union was criticized or ridiculed. I regret that I have to return to this matter again, but I believe it to be certain that without restraint and responsibility on the part of the press, relations between our countries will never attain the degree of confidence that our own interest requires. This is a sensitive point for the Soviet Union, probably not because our bark might bite, but because unfriendly articles are regarded as reflections of public opinion.

My final impression was that the crisis in Finnish-Soviet relations was deeper than we had realized. It was fortunate for us that it could be cleared up in private talks at the first available opportunity. The sincere desire of the Soviet Union to eliminate this crisis was brought out in the fact that Mr. Khrushchev devoted to us two whole days on the eve of the Party Congress.

We must be prepared to draw our conclusions from the fact that the crisis was deeper than we had realized. What are these conclusions? I believe that the nation will agree with the point I made in my luncheon speech when I said, `We in Finland hope most sincerely that there never will be a time when relations between our countries are marred by a lack of confidence.` I am firmly convinced that our relations can be maintained on a friendly and close basis, and that Finland is the one who benefits from this most. We do not have to abandon anything that we regard as important and valuable for national or ideological reasons. We are able to continue our life within our traditional social system, according to our customs and wishes. The Soviet Union does not demand from us anything that might endanger our position or our neutral foreign policy. We are not asked to do anything that could damage our good relations with the West or weaken our Scandinavian ties.

The Soviet Union can, however, make a good case for its interest in having as its neighbour a friendly government which is able to guarantee the fulfilment of our commitments. All that the Soviet Union asks of us was contained in the words of Mr. Khrushchev: `I wish to emphasize that we want only one thing -- good and friendly neighbourly relations with Finland.`

I am convinced that all reasonable Finns will join me in saying that we cannot afford to have more spells of cold. I am sure that the Finnish people will receive the news from Leningrad with relief and deep satisfaction. The ice has been broken, normal and friendly relations can continue for the benefit of our peoples.