In the course of his statement, the Prime Minister recalled that' for some time an exchange of views had been proceeding between Russia and Finland on a question, mainly, of a strategical character, raised by Russia.
The latter had expressed some apprehension at the proximity of d to the Finnish frontier (some laughter), which indeed was only some 20 miles distant, and a proposal was made for a realignment of this part. of the frontier in exchange for territory incompensation further north, A claim was also made for the acquisition of certain Finnish islands in the Gulf of Finland, and a Finnish port at the entrance of the gulf, in order to assure the position of the Soviet Union in the gulf.
'A further claim, Mr. Chamberlain continued, is believed to have been made for the Finnish side of the Rybacht Peninsular, overlooking and dominating Finland's sole Arctic port of Petsamo, The attitude of the Finnish Government from the outset wag unprovocative, the Prime Minister said amid cheers, though governed by a determination to do nothing to impair the country's sovereign status.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.