859A.20/179: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Iceland (MacVeagh)

136. Your 230, May 6, 1 p.m. If it is to be understood that the withholding of national treatment at this time would not render it possible to discriminate against United States interests in favor of other foreign interests, this Government has no objection to omitting specific mention of national treatment in the exchange of notes. In other words this Government does not desire that any situation shall arise which would have the effect of weakening the granting of unconditional most-favored-nation treatment, as for example in a case where a foreign air transport company might be authorized under the laws of Iceland to engage in aviation activities.

With reference to the stipulation that no future military commitments will be entered into in connection with the undertakings of United States forces in Iceland, you may state that there is no objection to this stipulation provided it is clearly understood that the word “future” applies only to the period after the war.

Hull