859.01/185: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11 p.m.]
4725. The Embassy has just received a communication from the Foreign Office with regard to the proposed declaration on Denmark. Reference Department’s 4494, June 6, midnight.
After stating that the Foreign Office had been informed of the Department’s attitude as presented in the Department’s telegram under reference, the letter goes on to say that the British Ambassador in Moscow has now been authorized to put the modified declaration to the Soviet Government and instructed to express the hope that this modification will enable the Russians to participate in the issuance of the declaration. Sir Archibald Clark Kerr has been told to stress the fact that the issue of such a declaration would be of value for strategic purposes and to add that anything which is likely to increase Danish resistance in the coming period will be of considerable value for operational purposes. If the Soviets should agree, he will attempt to arrange with them the date and time of issue on the basis of 48 hours notice being given the Foreign Office and the State Department. The British Ambassador in Moscow has also been instructed in the event of a negative reply to inquire, as a purely personal suggestion, whether the Soviets would agree to the issuance of a joint declaration by the American and British Governments.
Foreign Office states it will keep the Embassy informed of the result of this approach.