Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE DECLASSIFIED WASHINGTON E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 By DEB NLT, Date 7-29-85 June 27, 1952 SECRET SECURITY INF ORMATION SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS DENMARK Ambassador Anderson again saw the Danish Foreign Minister, Mr. Kraft, yesterday afternoon concerning the impending delivery of a new Danish-built tanker to the USSR, in ful- fillment of a 1948 trade agreement between the two countries under which Denmark was to build two tankers for the Soviets. Ambassador Anderson once more went over with Mr. Kraft the possible consequences of this action, namely termination of US aid to Denmark under the Battle Act, and she urged several weeks delay in delivery of the ship. Mr. Kraft said that although he is fully apprised of the seriousness with which we view the situation, he considers it impossible to delay delivery at this juncture. He reported that the tanker had returned the previous evening from its trial run which had demonstrated that the ship was in perfect order. The Soviet crew on board had wished to take possession at once, but the builders, by arrangement with the Government, had given some pretext for refusal. Kraft says that the ship will not go before early next week, but the Government*s position is firm that it cannot do anything further to delay delivery. Mr. Kraft will go to London to discuss the matter with the Secretary; he indicated that he wanted to discuss measures to avoid delivery of the second tanker and also to clarify the Danish position. We have advised Ambassador Anderson that if she is convinced in further conversation with Kraft that there is no hope for further delay in delivery of the first tanker, she should pursue with him what assurances he can give us in regard to the second tanker. A firm assurance of non- delivery of the second tanker would be helpful to us in considering terms on which aid, if terminated, could be renewed, or in considering the possibility of an exception. Such assurances would have to be in a form which we would use at least with Congress and probably publicly. KOREA We have recently received disturbing reports that the UN Com- - mission in Korea (UNCURK) has become so discouraged over its position there that various members have been requesting their home governments to intercede in favor of withdrawal of the Commission. As a part of our efforts to dissuade the Commission from any such move Ambassador Muccio yesterday received the Dutch member, Mr. Van Ittersum, and his political assistant, Mr. Kethel, and sought to convince SECRET SECURITY INF FORMATION