711.56340B/3–851
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs (Raynor)
Subject: Iceland Base Negotiations
| Participants: | Minister Thor Thors, Legation of Iceland |
| Mr. Petur Eggerz, Counselor, Legation of Iceland | |
| Mr. Hayden Raynor, Director, BNA | |
| Mr. Edward Lawson, U.S. Minister to Iceland |
Minister Thors called today at his request. He first inquired as to the status of the negotiations and Minister Lawson1 and I indicated that good progress was being made. We pointed out to him the areas in which agreement had not yet been reached: (a) certain aspects on civil aviation; (b) certain problems on claims;2 (c) the number of troops and (d) most important the duration clause.3
Minister Thors then put forward in very strong terms the Icelandic position on the duration clause and the impossibility of Iceland giving up unilateral right to terminate an agreement. He repeated the various arguments which had been used by the Foreign Minister in the negotiations and repeatedly stressed the assurances which had been given to Iceland before she joined the Pact to the effect that she would not be called upon to receive troops in Iceland in peace-time. He also repeatedly stressed the concept that we would have to have faith in Iceland.
Minister Lawson and I indicated that we did have faith in Iceland but explained in some detail the difficulties this situation created for us stressing the problem from the angle of precedent in negotiations with other countries and the angle of Congressional reaction here.
In conclusion the Minister implied that if we wanted an agreement we would have to find a way to meet Iceland on this point. We indicated that we were trying to find a formula which would resolve the difficulty of both sides. The Minister expressed the desire to have another meeting with us4 before Minister Lawson returns to Reykjavik.
- Lawson left Reykjavik on March 6 for Washington and returned to Iceland on March 24.↩
- For final resolution on the problems relating to civil aviation and claims, see Document 220.↩
- For final resolution of the problems relating to the number of troops to be stationed in Iceland and the duration of the Agreement, see footnote 1, Document 216.↩
- No record of another meeting has been found in Department of State files.↩