859B.20/5–3147
Memorandum by the Associate Chief of the Division of Northern European Affairs (Morgan)
Conversations With Ambassador Kauffmann
Subsequent to approval by the Secretary of Mr. Matthews’1 memorandum of May 28, 1947,2 Ambassador Kauffmann, on the morning of May 29, informed Mr. Cumming3 that the Communist resolution introduced in the Folketing on May 21 would be called up for debate on the afternoon or evening of the 29th. In view of the six hours time differential between Copenhagen and Washington, it was obvious that it would be desirable for the Secretary to make some comment at his [Page 664] press conference in order that the American point of view might reach the press simultaneously or in advance of the Danish statement. The Secretary’s approval was accordingly obtained for the following statement:
“I am informed that the Danish Government will probably publish either today or tomorrow the text of a note requesting the United States to enter into consultations in connection with the agreement regarding the defense of Greenland concluded with the Danish Minister in Washington on April 9, 1941. This agreement, at a time when Denmark was powerless because of the Nazi occupation to act in its own behalf, made it possible to preserve Danish sovereignty over Greenland and prevent the Nazis from gaining a foothold in the Western Hemisphere. German detachments, which had already landed in Greenland were expelled and adequate defense installations were constructed by the United States on the hitherto defenseless island. In taking this step, the United States acted with scrupulous respect for Danish sovereignty and in the interest of Denmark as well as of this country. The 1941 agreement was unanimously ratified by the Danish Parliament following the liberation of Denmark in 1945. Greenland remains of the greatest importance as a link in the defensive system of the United States and of the Western Hemisphere.
“We have informed the Danish Government that, as stated by Secretary Byrnes, to the Danish Foreign Minister in December, 1945 [1946],4 we are ready actively to explore with his government at any time the basis of some new agreement in keeping with the letter and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations which would take fully into account Danish sovereignty over Greenland and legitimate United States and hemispheric defense requirements.”
Ambassador Kauffmann was informally advised by Mr. Cumming of the remarks which the Secretary would probably make at his conference. Ambassador Kauffmann having objected to the reference to “some new agreement” in the last paragraph of the above quoted statement, clearance was obtained from the Secretary for a change in this paragraph so as to read:
“… Accordingly, we have informed the Danish Ambassador that, as stated by Secretary Byrnes to the Danish Foreign Minister in December 1946, we are ready actively to explore with his Government at any time the whole Greenland question with a view to finding a solution, in keeping with the letter and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, which would take fully into account Danish sovereignty over Greenland as well as legitimate US and hemispheric defense requirements.”
Mr. Cumming having obtained this approval advised Ambassador Kauffmann that we were not ready at this time to give a written reply [Page 665] to the Ambassador’s note of May 27,5 but that we had no objection to the publication by the Danish Government of the Ambassador’s note. Mr. Cumming then informed the Ambassador that the Secretary would make a statement to the press that afternoon which he was authorized to convey to the Ambassador in advance. This statement might be considered as the interim answer to the Danish Government’s request for consultation. Mr. Cumming then read to the Ambassador the press statement as approved by the Secretary, including the alteration in the final paragraph which had been suggested by the Ambassador.
It was subsequently found that due to an inadvertency in the preparation of the material for the Secretary’s press conference, the statement as actually read by the Secretary to the press representatives did not contain the alteration to the final paragraph but was read as originally drafted.6
The inadvertency was confidentially explained to Ambassador Kauffman by Mr. Cumming who pointed out that for purposes of communication to his Government the Ambassador was entirely authorized to transmit the corrected version as given to him by Mr. Cumming.
- H. Freeman Matthews, Director, Office of European Affairs.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., Chief, Division of Northern European Affairs.↩
- For a reference to the meeting of Foreign Minister Gustav Rasmussen with Secretary of State Byrnes on December 5, 1946, at New York, see Foreign Relations, 1946, vol. ii, p. 1314, footnote 37.↩
- Ambassador Kauffmann’s note referred to various conversations that had taken place during the past year concerning Denmark’s desire to terminate the Greenland Defense Agreement and requested, under instructions from his Government, that consultations provided for under Article X of the Agreement be initiated as early as possible. The text of the note was made public in Copenhagen by the Danish Government on May 29, 1947.↩
- For the text of the Secretary of State’s statement as released to the press on May 29, 1947, see Department of State Bulletin, June 8, 1947, p. 1130.↩