859A.20/19½: Telegram

The Consul at Reykjavik (Kuniholm) to the Secretary of State 44

I have conveyed to the Prime Minister today the substance of your strictly confidential message45 delivered to me last night by the USS Goldsborough. The Prime Minister, on behalf of the Icelandic Government, made the following observations: Since the President is prepared to accept in principle the conditions and reservations transmitted to the British Government by Prime Minister, there remains only the announcement to be made by the President.

The moral effect on Icelanders of a change in military occupation from troops of a belligerent to those of a neutral country will be considerable. This effect might be lost if the wording of the President’s public statement were to read “supplement and perhaps eventually to replace” instead of “relieve at once” in connection with the transfer of military control. The Icelandic Government would prefer that the interchange take place as quickly as possible.

The Icelandic Government is particularly anxious to avoid any semblance of a condominium in military control as between Great Britain and the United States. It is felt that joint occupation would be worse than the existing status quo.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kuniholm
  1. This telegram was sent in naval code to the Secretary of State. It is undated but probably was sent on June 30, 1941.
  2. Supra.