Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Western Europe, Volume III

759.5 MAP/1–2450: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Denmark ¹

secret
priority
niact

Washington , January 24, 1950—11 p. m.

ToMAP 39. Ur 45 Jan 21, rptd London 34, Oslo 2, Hague 1; and ur 53, Jan 24, 26 London, 18 Paris.² In mtg with Danish negotiators tonight Danish Govt represented as still opposing (1) Secret ltr in substitution old Para 7 dealing with E-W trade, Paris talks, etc. Dept agreed tonight to meet Danes position halfway by accepting ltr similar to that outlined Para 5 Depcirtel Jan 21 which would be addressed to Harriman in Paris.³ Norwegians have accepted original ltr proposed by Dept while Dutch have accepted modification of it. Urgent advice to Danes of Dutch and Norwegian action and outline of above suggestion re ltr to Harriman shd be made. (2) Danes still oppose secret ltr advising that in event of change of circumstances in Denmark re local currency requirements US (mtg substantial decrease in purchasing power Danish kroner) Danish Govt agreeable consult with US. Danish objections apparently arise out of fear this constitutes secret agreement. All other govts have accepted this in ltr or minute form as matter of negotiating history, not constituting an agreement.

You might suggest to Danish FonOff that ltr to Emb prior to signing bilateral assuring it that in event of unforeseen developments Govt of Denmark will consult with US Emb with view to making available amounts of Danish kroner in addition to that to be provided under MDA Agreement would be satisfactory. By having ltr transmitted in Copenhagen to US Emb as local matter rather than in Wash, Danish Govt might find its difficulties are overcome.⁴

Since these only two issues delaying Danish signature and since only other outstanding issues are with Brit which we hope to have clarified prior to Friday, request you urgently approach Danes to obtain their agreement to above two ltrs.

Acheson

1. Repeated to London as 339, Oslo as 32, and The Hague as 61.
2. Telegrams 45 and 53 from Copenhagen, not printed.
3. A letter of this sort, addressed to Harriman, was agreed upon by the Danish Foreign Minister, Gustav Rasmussen, on January 25. The letter is quoted in telegram 55 of that date from Copenhagen, not printed; 759.5 MAP/1–2550.
4. Rasmussen also followed the Department of State suggestion on this matter (759.5 MAP/1–2550), and the Danish Cabinet approved both actions in its deliberations of January 25 (759.5 MAP/1–2550).