Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Foreign Minister of Denmark Gustav Rasmussen, Ambassador of Denmark Henrick de Kauffmann, Mr. Hvass, Charles Bohlen, John Hickerson, and Benjamin Hulley

DECLASSIFIED Copy. 2 of 11 515 E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (B) 7.23.25 Dept. of State letter, * 1973 DEPARTMENT OF STATE TOP SECRET Bx NLT- HC. NARS Date 4-20-76 Memorandum of Conversation 193 DATE: TOP SECRET March 11, 1949 SUBJECT: Visit of the Danish Foreign Minister conf 75 PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Rasmussen, Foreign Minister of Denmark Mr. Kauffmann, Ambassador of Denmark "NATIONAL Mr. Hvass, Danish Foreign Office ARCHIVES AND RECORDS The Secretary SERVICE** Mr. Bohlen, Counselor the COPIES TO: Mr. Hickerson; Director, EUR XXXXXXXX Mr. Hulley, Chief, NOE Copies to: s/s; C; H; EUR; WE; NOE; American Embassy, Copenhagen 1- -1493 I welcomed the Foreign Minister to Washington, expressed my great pleasure at the opportunity which his visit affords us to exchange ideas about the North Atlantic Pact, and assured him that my time is ent irely at his disposal. After this preliminary talk he could have a discussion with several of my associates tomorrow, and another meeting with me on Monday or Tuesday at his pleasure. The Foreign Minister said he would like to outline briefly what was in his mind. T he Danish Government had made a whole-hearted attempt to reach an agreement with Sweden and Norway for a Scandinavian defense pact. All political parties except the Communists gave full support to this plan which seemed to them the best solution for Denmark's defense problem. There was wide-spread dis- appointment that it had not been possible to roach such an agreement with the other two countries. Now Denmark has but two choices, either unprotected isolation or joining up with the West. Five-sixths of the Lower House and nine-tenths of the Upper House are in favor of joining the North Atlantic alliance. However, the Govern- ment wants a broader support from public opinion as well as from Parliament, where it wants as much support as can be gained from two small parties which do not yet favor the Pact. He was not taking into consideration the Com- munists, who hold only nine of the 150 seats in Parliament. Therop SEGRET