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30806015
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Memorandum from Dennis Clift to Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft Regarding Icelandic Protest Regarding Leif Erikson Day Proclamation
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30806015
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Memorandum from Dennis Clift to Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft Regarding Icelandic Protest Regarding Leif Erikson Day Proclamation
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White House Central Files Subject Files (Ford Administration)
White House Central Files Subject Files on Holidays
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30806015
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1975-09-25
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9
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1975
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MEMORANDUM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
6406
ADMINISTRATIVELY
ACTION
CONFIDENTIAL
September 25, 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR GENERAL SCOWCROFT
FROM:
Mr. Clift
SUBJECT:
Icelandic Protest Regarding Leif
Erikson Day Proclamation
The Department of State has advised the NSC (at Tab B) that Iceland's
Ambassador Haraldur Kroyer lodged a formal protest on September 23
about the characterization of Leif Erikson as "Norwegian" in this
year's Presidential Leif Erikson Proclamation. According to State,
Iceland has long claimed Erikson as one of its own and believes that
the U.S. recognized the validity of the claim in 1930 when the Congress
presented to the people of Iceland a statue of the explorer which identifies
him as an Icelander.
Ambassador Kroyer states that the Norwegians and Icelanders have
developed a formula which allows both nations to claim Erikson as a forebear
by using the term "Norse" or "Viking" rather than ascribing him to either
country. The Ambassador pointed out that a similar problem occurred in
the 1964 proclamation and had serious repercussions in Iceland. Kroyer
acknowledged that it is too late to do anything about the Presidential
Proclamation this year but asked that measures be taken immediately to
assure that any proclamations being issued by state governments avoid the same
error.
The Department's proposed proclamation reviewed by the NSC complied
with the Icelandic-Norwegian formula by referring to Erikson as "the
daring Norse explorer. 11 While we did take exception to State's char-
acterization of Erikson's trip as being in search of freedom and justice, we
did not alter the description of Leif's origins (at Tab C). Thus, it would
appear that the offending change was made by the White House editorial
staff without checking with us.
ADMINISTRATIVELY
CONFIDENTIAL
ADMINISTRATIVELY
- 2 -
CONFIDENTIAL
I believe we need take no further action on this protest. State has
communicated the Ambassador's request with respect to state proclama-
tions to the concerned states through its office of Liaison with the
Governors, and we will try to ensure that this error is not made next
year. To this end, the memorandum for Jeanne Davis' signature to Jim
Cavanaugh at Tab A would inform him of the unauthorized change in the
wording of the proclamation and Iceland's protest, and would ask that
such substantive changes in proclamations already reviewed by NSC be
cleared with us.
RECOMMENDATION
That you approve Jeanne Davis' signature of the memorandum to Cavanaugh
at Tab A.
APPROVE (B)
DISAPPROVE
ADMINISTRATIVELY
CONFIDENTIAL