Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 55 Part 2.djvu/675

 ICELAND-DEFENSE-JULY 1, 1941 4. United States promise to organize the defense of the country in such a way as to ensure the greatest possible safety for the inhabitants themselves and assure that they suffer minimum disturbance from military activities; these activities being carried out in consultation with Iceland authorities as far as possible. Also, because of small population of Iceland and consequent danger to nation from presence of a numerous army, great care must be taken that only picked troops are sent. Military authorities should be also instructed to keep in mind that Icelanders have been unarmed for centuries and are entirely unaccustomed to military discipline and conduct of troops towards the inhabitants of the country should be ordered accordingly. 5. United States undertake defense of the country without expense to Iceland and promise compensation for all damage occasioned to the inhabitants by their military activities. 6. United States promise to further interests of Iceland in every way in their power, including that of supplying the country with suffi- cient necessities, of securing necessary shipping to and from the coun- try and of making in other respects favorable commercial and trade agreements with it. 7. Iceland Government expect that declaration made by President in this connection will be in agreement with these premises on the part of Iceland, and Government would much appreciate its being given the opportunity of being cognizant with wording of this decla- ration before it is published. 8. On the part of Iceland it is considered obvious that if United States undertake defense of the country it must be strong enough to meet every eventuality and particularly in the beginning it is expected that as far as possible efforts will be made to prevent any special danger in connection with change-over. Iceland Government lays special stress on there being sufficient airplanes for defensive purposes wherever they are required and they can be used as soon as decision is made for United States to undertake the defense of the country. You further state that this decision is made on the part of Iceland as an absolutely free and sovereign state and that it is considered as a matter of course that the United States will from the beginning recognize the legal status of Iceland, both states immediately ex- changing diplomatic representatives. I take pleasure in confirming to you hereby that the conditions set forth in your communication now under acknowledgment are fully acceptable to the Govermment of the United States and that these conditions will be observed in the relations between the United States and Iceland. I may further say that it will give me pleasure to re- quest of the Congress its agreement in order that diplomatic repre- sentatives may be exchanged between our two countries. It is the announced policy of the Government of the United States to undertake to join with the other nations of the Western Hemisphere in the defense of the New World against any attempt at aggression. In the opinion of this Government, it is imperative that the integrity Organization of de- fense. No expense to Ice- land. Trade. Declaration. Strength of U. 8. forces. Acceptance of con- ditions by T. S. 1549 55 STAT.]

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