859B.7962/93: Telegram
The Chargé in Denmark (Perkins) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:04 p.m.]
146. The following message from King Christian for the President was handed to me in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 8 o’clock this evening.
[Page 59]“Dear and Great Friend, I acknowledge receipt of the message which you have been good enough to instruct the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America” at Copenhagen to transmit to me through my private secretary. I highly appreciate the friendly feelings expressed therein to me and to the entire Danish people. I furthermore appreciate the respect of Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland with which you mention the provisional measures which your Government has deemed it proper to take as regards Greenland territory, but I am anxious to let you know that the news about these unjustified measures against the execution of which protests have been lodged with your Chargé d’Affaires at Copenhagen have caused me deep disappointment and grief.
I have instructed my Minister for Foreign Affairs to further develop to your Secretary of State the points which your message occasions me to emphasize, viz.: that my former Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, Mr. Henrik Kauffmann by arbitrarily signing the agreement of the 9th of April 1941 on the defense of Greenland has exceeded his authority as accredited Minister and acted against the Danish constitution, for which reason he has no more my confidence, that the said agreement is invalid in point of Danish constitutional as well as international law, that the conclusion of such an agreement also under normal conditions would have been unthinkable in this country, the more so because thereby would be created the possibility of occupation of Greenland territory by a foreign power in connection with expectations as to the development of the war, that Mr. Kauffmann after his dismissal from the public service is a private person without authority whatever to represent Denmark, and that it would not chime in with our mutual wishes for maintaining all ties that may promote Dano-American interests, if the Government of the United States continues to recognize him as Denmark’s official representative, as this would be tantamount to rendering diplomatic contact between Denmark and the United States of America at Washington impossible and thus a very important tie would be broken.
In view of our mutual wishes for the continued happy development of the friendly relations which have always existed and still exist between the Danish and the American peoples, who have so many deep rooted interbearings, I have desired openly and sincerely to send you this message.
I avail myself of this occasion to renew to you the assurance of esteem and friendship.
Your good friend.
Signed Christian, R.
[Counter] signed Erik Scavenius.
Amalienborg, Copenhagen, the 26 of April 1941.
To the President of the United States of America.”
Text of note from the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Secretary of State, handed me at the same time, will follow.25
- See infra.↩