Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

460.509/7–2550: Telegram

The Chargé in France (Gray ¹) to the Secretary of State

secret

Paris, July 25, 1950—6 p. m.

455. Excon. Reference Embtel 243, July 13, repeated Copenhagen 3.² At CoCom July 25 Danish special position again considered with following results:

1. CoCom was of the unanimous opinion:

(a) That it could not accept the statistics submitted by the Danish Government as a basis for the discussion of the Danish position;

(b) Denmark should comply with the decisions of the committee with respect to controls, lists and principles;

(c) Until Denmark withdraws its reservations the committee cannot entertain the submission of a plea for special consideration except on the basis of the French proposal made in the CG May 31 (CoCom Doc. 66, paragraph 2, Embdesp 1377, June 20).

2. Danish delegate stated he would report this reaction to his government and asked for time for Danish Government to reconsider position. It was agreed that Denmark would make its reactions known by September 1, and if Danish position unchanged CoCom will immediately submit report on matter to CG.³

Sent Department 255 [455], repeated info Copenhagen 6.

Gray

1. Cecil Wayne Gray, Counselor of Embassy in France.
2. Ante, p. 156.
3. Telegram 108, July 26, from Copenhagen, not printed, reported that Danish Foreign Ministry officials had stated in deep confidence that as a result of the action in the Coordinating Committee and in view of the clarification of Secretary of State Acheson’s conversation with Foreign Minister Rasmussen in London in May (see footnotes 2 and 3, p. 157), the Danish Government would thoroughly review its policy on East-West trade (450.6031/7–2650). Telegram 495, July 27, from Paris, not printed, reported that the Coordinating Committee had been informed that Denmark was imposing an embargo on new tankers for Eastern Europe and that the embargo would not be changed without prior consultation with the Consultative Group (460.509/7–2750). Telegram 202, August 18, from Copenhagen, not printed, reported that the Coordinating Committee was to be informed that Denmark agreed not to export any items on International List I to Eastern Europe without consultation with the Consultative Group (450.6031/8–1850).