Communicated to the Council C.142.M.91.1939.VII. and Members of the League. Geneva, May 13th,1939.
CONVENTION OF 1921 FOR THE NON-FORTIFICATION AND NEUTRALISATION OF THE AALAND ISLANDS: MEASURES PROPOSED BY THE FINNISH AND SWEDISH GOVERNMENTS.
Communications addressed to the Secretary-General by the Finnish and Swedish Governments on May 10th,1939.
(Translation) Helsinki, May 10th, 1939.
To the Secretary-General.
In a telegram dated this day, I had the honour to request you to be good enough to place the following ques tion on the provisional agenda of the next ordinary session of the Council: 1921 Convention relating to the non-fortifica tion and neutralisation of the Aaland Islands; measures pro posed by the Finnish and Swedish Governments.
Following on this communication, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith the texts of the notes which, in agreement with the Swedish Government, the Finnish Government has exchanged with the other Governments signatories of the Convention and the note which, likewise in agreement with the Swedish Government, it has sent to the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. I should be grateful if you would communicate these notes to the Members of the Council and would inform them that the Finnish Government, in agree ment with the Swedish Government, requests the Council's assent to the measures referred to therein, in so far as they come within its competence.
I have the honour, etc.
Eljas ERKKO.
Stockholm; May 10th, 1939*
To the Secretory-General.
In a telegram dated this day, I had the honour to request you to be good enough to place the following question on the provisional agenda of the next ordinary session of the Council: 1921 Convention relating to the non-fortification and neutralisation of the Aaland Islands; measures proposed by the Finnish and Swedish Governments. - 2 -
Following on this communication, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith the texts of the notes which, in agreement with the Finnish Government, the Swedish Government has exchanged with the other Governments signatories of the Convention and the note which, likewise in agreement with the Finnish Government, it has sent to the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. I should be grateful if you would communicate these notes to the members of the Council and would inform them that the Swedish Government, in agree ment with the Finnish Government, requests the Council's assent to the measures referred to therein, in so far as they come within its competence.
I have the honour etc.
Rickard SANDLER.
NOTE SENT IN JANUARY 1939 BY THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT, IN AGREEMENT WITH THE SWEDISH GOVERNMENT,TO THE OTHER GOVERNMENTS SIGNATORIES OF THE 1921 CONVENTION.*
On the instructions of my Government, I have the honour to convey the following to the ...... Government.
At the request of the Finnish Government, which is primarily responsible for the security of the Aaland Islands, the Finnish and Swedish Governments have jointly examined the problems relating to the security of the neutralised terri tory. They have reached a preliminary agreement providing for the following settlement.
The 1921 Convention was concluded in order that these islands might never become a cause of danger from the military point of view. The signatory Powers desired to ensure the non-fortification and the neutrality of the islands by a guarantee system laid down in the Convention. The weakening of the security system of the League of Nations and the political and military difficulties which at present stand in the way of the application of the guarantee system provided in the 1921 Convention, have led the two Governments on the one hand to recommend a permanent alteration of the territorial area to which the demilitarisation provisions apply in so far as they affect the freedom of action of Finland and, on the other hand, to propose, in application of Article 7*-I of the Convention, that the said regime of demilitarisation should be temporarily relaxed in certain respects.
* An identical Note was sent by the Swedish Government to the other Governments signatories of the Convention. - 3 -
The adoption of the proposed solution would in no way affect the other parts of the Convention including the prohibition of fortification, dating from 1856,which is re ferred to in Article 1, and would leave intact the neutrality of the Aaland Islands and their spec 18.1 international status.
The proposed settlement entails the following:
The international demilitarisation provisions re lating to the Aaland Islands will not in future preclude military defence measures of any kind which Finland may wish to take south of a line running from the southern extremity of Lemland (lat. 59°58'.1 N and long. 20°10'.9 E. of Greenwich) due west and east to the present linas of delimitation. As regards the part of the zone situated south of that line, Finland will thus be released from aoy restriction upon her freedom of action and decision provided for by the Convention.
In all respects other than those indicated above, the system of protection set up by the 1921 Convention, and particularly by the provisions of Articles 4, 6 and 7, with a view to the maintenance of the neutrality of the Aaland Islands, will continue to be applicable to the part of the zone indicated above.
In virtue of Article 7:1# Finland will be authorised, for a period of ten years as f r o m ...... 1939*
(a) in the zone situated north of the new line of demar cation, to give military training to the inhabitants of the Aaland Islands in order to ensure the security of the Islands, and to station there, in addition to the Aaland effectives, military effectives whose language is Swedish, coming from other parts of Finland.
(b) to instal there mobile coast and anti-aircraft artillery material;
(c) to instal there such other material as may be re quired for the training, mobilisation and maintenance of the troops stationed in the Islands;
(d) to store mines there;
(e) to cause to land or alight on the sea there Finnish military aircraft intended to be used by the anti-aircraft units for target practice;
(f) to allow Finnish or Swedish warships to remain there temporarily for naval exercises.
It will be for the Finnish and Swedish Governments to fix by joint agreement the maximum figures for the effectives and material referred to above and the scope of the naval exercises referred to under (f). - 4 -
The two Governments take this occasion to state that, according to their interpretation of the Convention, spontan eous military intervention on the part of a belligerent Power for the protection of the Aaland Islands could in no case be regarded as an application of the guarantee system provided for in the Convention.
In the event of an imminent danger of war affecting the Baltic Sett, end pending the application, if required, of the guarantee system provided for in Article 7 of the Conven tion, Sweden reserves the right, as the nearest guarantor Power and in view of her own vital interests, to accord her assistance, at the request of Finland, in applying such de fensive measures laid down in Article 6 and Article 7 as may be considered expedient to safeguard the neutrality of the Aaland Islands. In the foregoing circumstances, any offer of intervention made by a belligerent Power with a view to the protection of the Islands will be declined by the two Powers mentioned above.
The two Governments propose to request in due course the assent of the Council of the League of Nations to the foregoing measures, in so far as they lie within its competence.
The two Governments request the (United Kingdom, Danish, Estonian, French, Italian, Latvian, Polish, German) Government to be good enough to state whether, as a signatory of the 1921 Convention, it approves for its part the fore going measures preliminarily agreed upon between Finland and Sweden.
I have the honour, etc.
REPLIES OF THE POWERS SIGNATORIES OF THE 1921 CONVENTION*
1. GERMANY. (Translation from the The German Minister for Foreign Affairs German) to the Finnish Minister at Berlin.
Berlin, May 2nd, 1939- Sir, By Note dated January 21st, 1939> you informed me, on behalf of your Government, of the proposals drawn up jointly by the Finnish and Swedish Governments for the al teration of the Aaland Islands Convention of 1921, and re quested the German Government to give its assent to those pro posals. The reasons for the proposed new regulations were stated to be the weakening of the security system of the League of Nations, and the political and military difficulties which at present stand in the way of the application of the guarantee system provided in the 1921 Convention.
* Identical replies were sent to the Swedish Government by the Powers signatories of the Convention. - 5 -
I have the honour to reply to your Note as follows:
The German Government attaches decisve importance to the maintenance and effective safeguarding of the neu trality of the Aaland Islands. It accordingly agrees that military defence measures be taken in the Islands with the exclusive object of safeguarding such neutrality, and assents to the proposals submitted by the Finnish and Royal Swedish Governments. In so doing it assumes as a matter of course that, in the event of hostile developments affecting the Baltic Sea area, Finland and Sweden will observe strict neu trality.
At the same time the German Government regards it as inconsistent that, while the Finnish Legation's Note adduces as a reason for the proposed alterations in the Con vention the weakening of the security system of the League of Nations, it nevertheless proposes the retention of the functions assigned to the Council of the League of Nations by the Convention. In any case the German Government would like to point out that its attitude towards the League of Nations and the latter's functions is not prejudiced by Germany's aontinued adherence to the Convention.
I have, etc....
RIBBENTROP.
2. DENMARK.
The Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Finnish Chargé d'Affaires at Copenhagen.
Copenhagen, February 17th, 1939-
Sir,
By Note dated January l8th last you were good enough to inform the Danish Government that the Finnish and Swedish Governments, having jointly examined the problems relating to the security of the Aaland Islands, have reached a preliminary agreement entailing the following alterations in the applica tion of the provisions of the Convention of October 20th, 1921
The international arrangements ...... by the two Powers above-named.
You requested me accordingly to inform you whether, as a signatory of the 1921 Convention, the Royal Danish Government, for its part approves the above provisions pre liminarily agreed upon between Finland and Sweden, so far as it is concerned. In reply, I have the honour to inform you, on behalf of my Government, that, as a signatory of the 1921 Convention, the Danish Government for its part approves the provisions set forth in the above-mentioned Note. I have etc P. MUNCH. - 6 -
3- ESTONIA.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia to the Minister of Finland at Tallin.
Tallin, January 30th, 1939
Sir, In reply to your letter of the 21st of this month informing me of the preliminary agreement reached by the Governments of Finland and Sweden with regard to the security of the Aaland Islands, and in conformation of my Government's first opinion, which I had the honour to convey to you on the 24th of this month, I beg to inform you, on my Govern ment 1s instructions that, at a meeting on the 26th of this month, the Government of Estonia, as a signatory of the 1921 Convention, fully approved the provisions preliminarily agreed upon between Finland and Sweden with regard to a permanent alteration of the territorial area to which the demilitarisation provisions apply in so far as they affect the freedom of action of Finland and also with regard to the application of Article 7:1 of the above-mentioned Convention, with a view to certain temporary relaxations of the regime governing the demilitarisation of the Aaland Islands.
The President of the Republic of Estonia has this day sanctioned the above-mentioned decision of the Government.
I have, etc.
For the Minister:
Oskar OPIK Deputy-Mini ster.
4. FRANCE.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of France to the Minister of Finland in Paris.
Paris, February 19th, 1939 Sir,
You were good enough to inform me, under date of January 24th, of the general tenor of the new provisions which your Government, in agreement with the Swedish Govern ment, desires should be substituted for those laid down by the Convention of October 20th,1921, regarding the non fortification and neutralisation of the Aaland Islands. The proposed adjustments relate to: (l) the territorial area to which the provivions con cerning demilitarisation apply: - 7 -
(2) certain temporary relaxations of the regime of demilitarisation itself.
The adjustments would In no way affect the other parts of the Convention, and would more particularly leave intact the neutralisation provisions and the international status of the Archipelago, more especially the non-fortifica tion clauses of Article 1 of the Convention.
You were good enough to notify me that the Finnish and Swedish Governments propose in due course to request the assent of the Council of the League of Nations to these new provisions in so far as they lie within its competence.
In response to your request, I have the honour to inform you that the French Government, as a signatory of the 1921 Convention, would for its part, subject to the agreement of the other interested Powers, have no substantial objection to the adjustments, the essential features of which you have communicated to me, which the Finnish and Swedish Governments desire to have made in the provisions of that agreement.
I have etc.
Georges BONNET.
5» UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Great Britain to the Minister of Finland at London.
Foreign Office, S.W. 1. 3rd February, 1939*
Sir,
I have considered the note which you were so good as to hand to me on the 24th January setting out the proposals of your Government and of the Swedish Government for the de fence of the Aaland Islands; and I now have the honour to inform you that His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, as a party to the Aaland Islands Convention, see no objection in principle to these proposals, on the understanding that, as you have informed me, the other parties to the Convention, and also the Soviet Government, will be consulted thereon, and that they will then be submitted to the Council of the League of Notions. As regards the form in which the proposed alteration in the status of the Islands may be embodied, there are points which, in the view of His Majesty's Government, may require consideration; but it does not seem necessary to enter into these matters at the present stage of the discussions. I have, etc. LAWRENCE COLLIER. (For the Secretary of State). 6. ITALY. f Trfmsla t ion from the •' " •; : Italian). The Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Finnish Minister at Rome.
Rome, May 6th, 1939/XVII.
Sir, By Note dated January 26th last you communicated to the Italian Government the proposals drawn up jointly by the Finnish and Swedish Governments for the alteration of the Aaland Islands Convention of 1921, and requested the Italian Government to give its assent to those proposals. You pointed out in this connection that the proposed new regula tions were a consequence of the weakening of the security system of the League of Nations and of the great political and military difficulties which at present stand in the way of the application of the guarantee system provided by the 1921 Convention.
I have the honour to inform you that the Italian Government, recognising the great importance attaching to the maintenance of the neutrality of the Aaland Islands and the consequent necessity of its being effectively safeguarded, agrees that military defence measures be taken in the Aaland Islands with the exclusive object of safeguarding their neu trality, and assents to the proposals submitted by the Finnish and Swedish Governments.
The Italian Government's assent is based on the conviction that, in the event of hostile developments in the Baltic Sea, Finland and Sweden will observe strict neutrality. I may add that, in the Italian Government's opinion, the de sire to retain the functions assigned In the 1921 Convention to the Council of the League of Nations appears to be incon sistent with the fact that it is precisely the weakening of the security system of the League of Nations which is responsil for the proposed amendment of.the Convention.
Lastly, the Italian Government has the honour to point out that the fact of Italy's continued adherence to the 1921 Convention cannot prejudice,and does in no way prejudice, Italy's attitude towards the League of Nations and its functions.
I have, etc.
CIANO. - 9 -
7. LATVIA.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs at Latvia to the Minister of Finland at Riga.
Riga, February 9th, 1939-
Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of the Note dated January 21st last, which you were good enough to hand to M. Alfreds Berzins, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Latvian Government, as a Contracting Party to the Convention relating to the non-fortification and neu tralisation of the Aaland Islands, signed at Geneva on October 20th, 1921, declares its readiness to accept a permanent alteration of the territorial area to which the demilitarisation provisions apply, together with certain temporary relaxations of the regime of demilitarisation it self, namely:
The international demilitarisation provisions...... the naval exercises referred to under (f).
I have further taken note of the particulars supplied by the Finnish Government and the Swedish Government regarding their interpretation of the Convention in the event of spontaneous military action on the part of a belligerent Power for the protection of the Aaland Islands, and also regarding the attitude which the two Governments intend to take up in the event of an imminent danger of war affecting the Baltic Sea and pending the application, if required, of the guarantee system provided for in Article 7 of the Convention.
I have, etc.
V. MUNTERS.
8. POLAND.
The Minister fbr Foreign Affairs of Poland to the Minister of Finland at Warsaw. Warsaw, February 17th,1939- Sir, By your Note dated January 21st, 1939» you were good enough to communicate to me the following:
"On the instructions of my Government ...... between Finland and Sweden”. - 10 -
I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the said Note and have the honour to inform you, in accordance with its concluding paragraph, that the Polish Government, as a sig natory to the Convention relating to the Non-Fortification and Neutralisation of the Aaland Islands signed at Geneva on ûûtebar 20th, 1921, approves for its part the proposals for altering this Convention formulated in your note of January 21st, 1931•
I have, etc.
J. BECK.
NOTE SENT ON JANUARY 21st, 1939. BY THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT IN AGREEMENT WTTK~ THE 'SWEDISH GOVERNMENT, TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS.*
On the instructions of my Government, I have the honour to convey the following to the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics : -
At the request of the Finnish Government, which is pr im^fily responsible for the security of the Aaland Islands, the Finnish and Swedish Governments have jointly examined the problems relating to the security of the neutralised territory. They have reached a preliminary agreement provid ing for the following settlement:
The 1921 Convention was concluded in order that these islands might never become a cause of danger from the military point of view. The signatory Powers desired to ensure the non-fortification and the neutrality of the islands by a guarantee system laid down in the Convention. The weakening of the security system of the League of Nations and the political and military difficulties which at present stand in the way of the application of the guarantee system pro vided in the 1921 Convention, have led the two Governments on the one hand to recommend a permanent alteration of the terri torial area to which the demilitarisation provisions apply in so far as they affect the freedom of action of Finland and, on the other hand, to propose, in application of Article 7•I of the Convention that the said regime of demilitarisation should be temporarily relaxed in certain respects.
The adoption of the proposed solution would in no way affect the other parts of the Convention, including the prohibition of fortification, dating from 1856, which is re ferred to in Article 1. and would leave intact the neutrality of the Aaland Islands and their special international status.
* An identical Note wan sent,by the Swedish Government to the U, S.3.R. Government. - 11 -
The proposed settlement entails the following:
The international demilitarisation provisions re lating to the Aaland Islands will not in future preclude the military defence measures of any kind which Finland may wish to take south of a line running from the southsrnextremity of Lenland (lat. 59°581.1 N and long. 20°101.9 E of Greenwich) due west and east to the present lines of delimitation. As regards the part of the zone situated south of that line, Finland will thus be released from any restriction upon her freedom of action and decision provided for by the Convention.
In all respects other than those indicated above, the system of protection set up by the 1921 Convention and particularly by the provisions of Articles 4, 6 and 7, with a view to the maintenance of the neutrality of the Aaland Islands will continue to be applicable to the part of the zone indicated above.
In virtue of Article I'.l, Finland will be authorised, for a period of ten years as from ...... 1939;
(a) in the zone situated north of the new line of demar cation, to give military training to the inhabitants of the Aaland Islands in order to ensure the security of the Islands and to station there, in addition to the Aaland effectives, military effectives whose language is Swedish, coming from other parts of Finland;
(b) to instal there mobile coast and anti-aircraft artillery material;
(c) to instal there such other material as may be re quired for the training, mobilisation and maintenance of the troops stationed in the islands;
(d) to store mines there;
(e) to cause to land or alight on the sea there Finnish military aircraft intended to be used by the anti-aircraft units for target practice.
(f) to allow Finnish or Swedish warships to remain there temporarily for naval exercises.
It will be for the Finnish and Swedish Governments to fix by joint agreement the maximum figure for the effectives and material referred to above and the scope of the naval exercises referred to under (f).
The two Governments take this occasion to state that, according to their interpretation of the Convention, spon taneous military intervention on the part of a belligerent Power for the protection of the Aaland Islands could in no case be regarded as an application of the guarantee system provided for in the -Convention. - 12 -
In the event of an Imminent danger of war affecting the Baltic Sea, and pending the application, If required, of the guarantee system provided for in Article 7 of the Conven tion, Sweden reserves the right, as the nearest guarantor Power and in view of her own vital interests, to accord her assistance, at the request of Finland in applying the defen sive measures laid down in Article 6 and Article 7 as may be considered expedient to safeguard the neutrality of the Aaland Islands. In the foregoing circumstances, any offer of inter vention made by a belligerent Power with a view to the pro tection of the Islands, will be declined by the two Powers mentioned above.
The two Governments propose to request In due course the assent of the Council of the League of Nations to the foregoing measures, in so far as they lie within its competence.
The two Governments request the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a Member of the Council of the League of Nations, to be good enough to lend its assistance in regard to the adoption of the foregoing mea sures, preliminarily agreed upon between Sweden and Finland.
I have, etc.