RUSSIAN DEMANDS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20119, 13 December 1939, Page 5

RUSSIAN DEMANDS

PRE-WAR TALKS MOVING OF FRONTIERS LEASE OF HANKO PORT OFFER BY FINLAND EXTENSIVE CONCESSIONS (Reed. Dec. 13, 9 a.m.) LONDON. Dec. 11. The'British United Press correspondent at Helsinki says that the Government of Finland has issued a White IBook on the Russo-Finnish negotiations before the war. The Soviet’s demands included: (1) The moving of the Karelian Isthmus frontier westward. (2) The adjustment of the Petsamo frontier. (3) Fbr blocking the Gulf of Finland by artillery from both coasts, pie lease to the Soviet for 30 years of Hanko, with the adjoining territory with a radius of six miles southeast and three miles, north-west, for a naval base for which purpose the Soviet would maintain in Hanko one infantry, three air force regiments, two anti-aircraft batteries and bat talions of armoured cars and to a maximum of 5000 men. (4) Finland to grant the islands pf Hogland, Seiskarl, Lavansaari. Tutarsaari, Bjorko and part of the Karelian Isthmus, totalling 1000 square miles. (5) The Soviet would cede to Finland 2100 square miles in the districts of Reiola and Porajarpi. (6) The non-aggression treaty should be strengthened, stipulating that neither must join any group directly or indirectly hostile to the other. (7) The abolition of fortified frontier zones. •Finally, the Soviet would not objeci to the fortification of the Aaland Islands providing that no foreign Power, including Sweden, participated. The proposals were presented on October 14. Russia said on October 23, when replying to the Finnish suggestions for a compromise, that the Russian proposals were the minimum. Finland’s counter-proposals included the surrender of all islands, except Hogland, regarding which further discussion was sought. Finland refused to lease Hanko and rejected an offer tb buy it on the grounds that her neutrality would be affected.