701.59A11/1: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Icelandic Prime Minister (Jonasson)
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency’s telegram of April 15 informing me that the Icelandic Government proposes to establish a Legation in Washington and a Consulate General in New York, and that it is intended to appoint Mr. Vilhjalmur Thor as Consul General for Iceland in New York as well as to entrust him with the charge of the Legation in Washington.
The establishment of direct diplomatic and consular relations between the Government of Iceland and the Government of the United States in the existing circumstances will be welcomed by my Government. My Government considers, however, that if an Icelandic Legation is established in Washington it should be placed in charge of a diplomatic officer who would be resident in Washington and would confine himself to the performance of diplomatic duties.
As a first step in reciprocating direct relations between our two Governments my Government is anxious to open a Consular Office in Reykjavik and desires to appoint Mr. Bertel E. Kuniholm, a career Foreign Service officer of the United States, as Consul in charge of such office. I trust that this will be agreeable to Your Excellency.