859B.01/346

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)

The Danish Minister6a came in, at his request.

I took advantage of his coming to discuss Greenland, briefly. I said that we had considered the matter and that we had stood clearly [Page 39] on our main lines of policy. We had continued to insist that Greenland was within the Western Hemisphere and therefore must be assimilated to the general hemispheric system of continental defense. Further, that we propose to maintain the status quo and the territorial integrity of Greenland. Finally, that in this matter we dealt with Canada, rather than Great Britain, inasmuch as we were cooperating with the Canadians on the defense of the continent.

I said that we had determined to send a commission of experts to Greenland to survey the possibilities of an air field. We had in mind that should it prove practicable, we would then take up in some appropriate way the possibility of construction of a landing field by the Greenland Government and under its control, but open to use by the American nations. In this respect we were, given the circumstances, considering a method of action that was substantially the same as that which we did in other parts of the Hemisphere.

The Minister asked whether it would be well for him to inform the Greenland Government of this fact. I said that I thought the time was not ripe for that; we had best wait until we got the report of the experts to see whether anything could or should be done. The Minister agreed that this was the best way of going at it; said that he had no doubt whatever that we could obtain an agreement in the general sense indicated, if one was then desired. He rather hoped, however, that it would be taken up through him. I said that we could discuss that point later; I merely wanted to let him know how our minds were running.

  1. Henrik de Kauffmann.