https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/25cc62282654598e9459917d2a548452.pdf 5090f3aa923893e0496ee5a046358e7d PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a ('information DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, CANADA. * BEST AVAILABLE COPY DESPATCH TO: THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, OTTAWA, CANADA. FROM: CANADIAN AMBASSADOR, COPENHAGEN. C0ty€f (DUPLICATE) AJtpt/oy-^fo Security:. SECRET Not P.-.&1: Date: .?.e.9 f$fe$&* h). .19.57. Enclosures: Reference:.. ,^L7,. ?.® -ke.§ ?3 m .A,?,: • .5£. ,**,. P.® 9?™P£T,. R... Air or Surf.ce M r i l : . . . ? . ° . ^ f . r . . . . Subject: # T 0 Heads. of..Gove^n^r^.Heeding.• . • Poet File N o : . . A . - ^ 3 . - . l . . ? r . ™ a r K Ott.w. File No. To*r9'kL-/-tfr> & Reference* The question of stationing of nuclear weapons and of atomic rocket warheads in Denmark is undoubtedly the most acute problem facing the Danish authorities today. There is no doubt as to the attitude of military leaders. Last evening at dinner at the Embassy General Andersen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Danish Air Force repeated very categorically to me the position adopted by Admiral Qvistgaard, Chief of Combined Services, (my despatch 0-58^ of November 6) to the effect that nuclear weapons are essential for the Danish armed forces. The General stated flatly that this decision must be taken eventually and therefore the sooner the better. Internal Circulation Distribution to Posts 2. I reverted to the subject today when Ambassador Svenningsen, Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry, lunched alone with me. Speaking very freely as he always does to me: he expressed a measure of horror over the American draft agenda for the forthcoming NATO meeting which he had just received from Washington. Despite emphasis upon disarmament and "atoms for peace" he thought that the Soviets could easily describe the American approach as threatening, aggressive and designed to encircle the Soviet Union with nuclear power. In his opinion the whole trend is exceedingly alarming because, while the Western world has good reason for fearing the USSR, there is no questioning the fact that this fear is reciprocated and it is therefore unfortunate if NATO nations give substance to such apprehension. 3. In mentioning the Prime Minister's repeated opposition to the stationing of nuclear weapons or atomic rocket warheads in Denmark, I stated that I could fully appreciate this position if one looked at Denmark in isolation and purely from the standpoint of domestic reaction but that from the broader NATO standpoint such a position obviously has serious implications because if two or three NATO nations refuse to permit the stationing of nuclear weapons the door would be open for the Soviets to brand as aggressors those NATO partners which decide to permit such stationing. Mr. Svenningsen agreed with me that in this particular respect NATO solidarity is exceedingly important. 000748 Ext.lSOC (Ber.2/S2) �BEST AVAILABLE COPY - 2 > i In view of the Prime Minister's statement to me two uays ago (reported in para. 3 of my telegram under reference) I was somewhat astonished when in answer to my question "Is the Danish Government's position in this matter irrevocable?" the Secretary-General replied "No" and went on to say that the matter is now under special study by the Government and will be examined by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Folketing in a secret session prior to the Paris meeting. 5. Mr. Svenningsen then told me that a confidential report from the Danish Ambassador in Bonn had indicated that Dr. Adenauer is firmly opposed to the stationing of nuclear weapons in Germany. It seems to me that the Danish Government finds itself in a very uncomfortable dilemma. On the one hand it does not wish to depart from its repeatedly announced policy of opposition to the stationing of nuclear weapons in this country (and probably for that reason seized avidly upon the Ambassador's report of Dr. Adenhauer's position) and on the other hand it does not wish to be held responsible for a breach of NATO solidarity. 6. I found the Danish Ambassador's statement rather astonishing in view of the quite different appreciaton of German policy which I have derived from letter No. 968 of November Inland other communications from our Embassy in Bonn. Elsewhere in Denmark there exists the understanding that Dr. Adenauer is favourably disposed to the stationing of nuclear weapons. Politiken (Radical) today published what is d^cribed as a British press rumour to the effect that Dr. Adenauer had tried to persuade Prime Minister Hansen during the latter's recent visit to Bonn to ^Aopt a more forthcoming attitude to the ^Lationing of at-ociie artillery and rocket bases in Denmark. The editor goes on to say that this approach of Dr. Adenauer may be one of the reasons why Hr, Olienhauer is arriving here vOday with a view to reaching a closer understanding between the West German Socialist Party and the Social Democratic parties o'f Nordic countries in a policy of opposition to the use of atomic weapons. 7. IF. Sveniitngsan discussed at some length the BBC broadcasts of Mr. George Ilennan stating that he found his arguments very convincing. I limited myself to commenting that it is a great pity that.an American of his reputation and influence should chose this moment to advocate policies so diametrically opposed to those of the United States Government. 8. Both the Prime Minister and the Secretary-General expressed serious worries over the fact that this "summit" meeting of Heads of Government is being blown up tc tremendous magnitude in the minds of people throughout the world - in neutral and communist countries as well as in NATO nations - and commented that there is a very great danger that "the mountain -will labour and bring forth a mouse" with resultant disillusionment. 9. The Prime Minister's refusal (reported in my despatch D-621 of November 27) to discuss the forthcoming NATO meeting in the Folketing but to have Danish policy discussed only in the Foreign Affairs Committee (from which the communists alone are excluded) has, of course, been the source cf violent but ineffectual protest on the part of the communists. Mr. Aksel Larsen, party leader in the Folketing has formally asked the Prime Minister to explain this attitude, the basis of which must be as obvious to him as to everybody else. The communists are also continuing to hammer against the decision to establish rocket batteries in the vicinity of Copenhagen. About 300 delegates attending a communist conference on December 1st unanimously passed a resolution addressed to all municipal boards in the capital area emphasizing the danger to the populations which is inherent in the plans to establish such rocket batteries. (Sgd.) H.F. Feaver Ambassador 000749 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW02294 Title A name given to the resource Copenhagen to External D-634 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 04-Dec-57 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived �NATO - Stockpiling of atomic weapons in NATO countries,� RG25-A-3-b, vol. 5958, 50219-AL-1-40, pt. 1.2, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource atomic cooperation, NATO, nuclear weapons, Europe Description An account of the resource NATO Heads of Government Meeting Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en