FINLAND’S POSITION

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 123, 19 February 1944, Page 7

FINLAND’S POSITION

Expectation Of Separate Peace With Russia

(Received February 18, 9.30 pjm.)

Some kind of FinnisF-Soviet contacA appears to have been established .in Stockholm, but there is no information as to its form and extent, says the Stockholm correspondent of “The Times. While it is impossible to establish how far the article has been, inspired, the Stockholm Communist daily “Nydag”.today, outlining the prospects of a FinnisnRussian settlement, says that while the formula of unconditional surrender would seem to apply to the whole Axis bloc and not to individual satellites wanting to leave the block to find peace or to change sides, it should be possible for Finland to negotiate certain conditions with Russia to establish an armistice pending a final total settlement which is possible only at a general peace conference. Moscow does not care who steers the Finnish State from the war. What is important, is that peaceful relations should be re-established. M. Paasikivi is still in Stockholm. Vichy radio quotes a report from Helsinki that the Finnish Prime. Minister, Professor Linkomies, has resigned be, cause of ill-health.

Judging from Finnish newspaper comment, the Finnish Government, expects to negotiate a separate peace with Russia, says the diplomatic correspondent of “The Times.” It is stated in London,, however, that the Allies cannot regard the Finnish theatre as a separate war, and certainly the Germans have never so regarded it. The Finns also appear to disregard the difference between, armistice terms and peace terms.. Their newspapers declare that they will stop fighting only if independence is preserved and if Finland does not become a war theatre; but the Allies are bound to demand facilities in Finland to pursue the war against Germany.