Office of the Historian

859A.01/42

The Danish Minister (Kauffmann) to the Secretary of State

Washington, April 10, 1940.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the Icelandic Parliament last night passed the following two resolutions:

  • First: Due to the present situation in Denmark it is impossible for His Majesty the King of Iceland and Denmark to exercise the executive power vested in him under the Constitutional Act of Iceland. It has, therefore, been necessary for the Icelandic Parliament to declare that the Icelandic Cabinet for the time being is entrusted with the conduct of the said power.
  • Second: Due to the present situation Denmark for the time being is not in a position to safeguard the foreign affairs of Iceland with which Denmark is entrusted in accordance with Art. VII of the Danish-Icelandic Union Act.1 Furthermore Denmark is not in a position to carry out the Fishery Inspection within Icelandic territorial waters in accordance with Art. VIII of the said Union Act. It has, therefore, been necessary for the Icelandic Parliament to declare that the Government of Iceland for the time being has taken over the entire charge of the said affairs.

I avail myself [etc.]

Henrik Kauffmann
  1. For text of Danish law of November 30, 1918, providing for union of Denmark and Iceland, see British and Foreign State Papers, vol. cxi, p. 703.↩