859B.7962/81: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Denmark (Perkins)
62. You are requested to arrange an appointment with the private secretary to His Majesty the King at the earliest possible moment and leave with him for King Christian a copy of the following message from the President:
“Great and Good Friend:
I have received by cable the text of your letter regarding the status of Mr. Henrik Louis Hans de Kauffmann, Your Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Government of the United States of America. I reciprocate most profoundly and sincerely Your Majesty’s wishes for the continued strengthening of the friendly relations which have always existed between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark and between the peoples of our two countries. It was with especially high regard for Your Majesty that this Government gave its agrément to Mr. de Kauffmann in August, 1939 and he has enjoyed the full confidence and cooperation of this Government in the distinguished duties in which he was invested by you.
Mr. de Kauffmann was nominated at a time when the complete freedom of the Danish Government had been in no way infringed and he remains in the view of the Government of the United States the representative of the Royal Danish Government in this country. The Government of the United States will continue to treat with him as Your Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.
In accordance with this policy the Government of the United States dealt with Mr. de Kauffmann regarding the situation of Greenland which had become most urgent due to flights of German bombing planes over the territory of Greenland and the fact that, in the light of recent history, there could be no assurance that foreign forces might not occupy Greenland suddenly and without warning.
Your Majesty will no doubt recognize the fact that while the sovereignty of Denmark over Greenland has been recognized by the United States Government under the fundamental principle that Greenland although entirely in the Western Hemisphere has been for many centuries under actual colonization by Denmark and Norway, no change of sovereignty to another European nation can be agreed to. The Government of the United States, as Your Majesty will no doubt recall, has publicly stated its position in this sense on a number [Page 56] of occasions in the past. It is incumbent upon the Government of the United States to assure itself that Greenland will not be occupied by any non-American nation other than Denmark, and in consequence this Government has found itself forced by an actual threat to Danish sovereignty in Greenland to take steps which are tantamount to holding Greenland in trust for Denmark until such time as the Royal Danish Government ceases to be subjected to duress on the part of an occupying nation and full Danish control over Greenland may be restored. No legitimate interests will be affected adversely by the action of the U. S. in Greenland.
I avail myself of this occasion to renew to Your Majesty the assurances of esteem and friendship. Your good friend,
(Signed) Franklin D. Roosevelt,
President,
United States or America.”
Subsequently you will forward a copy to the Foreign Secretary with a formal covering note stating it is done under instructions from me.