Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Western Europe, Volume III

840.20/11–1648: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Denmark

top secret
us urgent

Washington, November 17, 1948—3 p. m.

709. Embtel 1028 Nov 16.¹ In exploratory talks here possibility of limited commitments for certain countries including Norway and Denmark as mentioned to you by French Amb was envisaged but this should under no circumstances yet be intimated to anyone in view desirability Norwegians and Danes becoming full members if possible. Area covered by North Atlantic Pact would in any event be limited to metropolitan territories of parties and their Atlantic islands and would certainly not involve Denmark in event attack on Iran or other country not in delineated area.

It is important French give no hint of possible limited commitments (as distinct from limited territorial scope) to Norwegians and Danes at this time.

Lovett

1. In telegram 1028 from Copenhagen, not printed, Marvel expressed approval of the “French approach” of varying obligations among North Atlantic Pact members. He cited, as an example, the added incentive Denmark would feel towards participation in a pact if she were not obligated to declare war in the event that Iran were attacked or war started elsewhere than in Central or Northern Europe (840.20/11–1648).