Evening star., 1946-04-28
Iceland Rejects
i. 5. Request for
Air-BaseR Rights
Plon for System of
Off-Shore Defenses
Given Sharp Reverse
BY the Associoted pra,

American plans for an elab-
crate system of offshore de-
lenses met a sharp reverse last
night when Prime Minister
Olafur Thors of Iceland declared
MS government could not grant
the United States air-base rights
on that strategic island.
A base on Iceland, which is on
the direct air route between WASH
lngton and Moscow, is one of the
key positions of the defense system
slowly being developed in co-opera-
uon among the State, War and
Navy Departments.
Inc system is designed both for
the security of the United States
and to tie in with international
security arrangements yet to be
completed by the United Nations
Security Council.
Prime Minister Thors, now in
VOWED in an Icelandic political
campaign, spoke on a broadcast to
MS island nation last night after
the State Department had released
earlier in the day a review of it's
base proposal. This showed the
United States had asked for air
base facilities last October, at the
same time promising Iceland sup
port for membership in the United
Nations which, when necessary.
would have access to the proposed
base.
Subject Not Closed.
lceland'S reply in November virtu-
ally ignored the base proposal but
lndlcated a desire to take up the
U. N. membership question.
Since that time, the American
Government has not pressed the
base issue with Iceland but neither
does it regard the subject as closed,
according to the best information
available here.
In his statement last night, Mr..
Thors asserted:
1celanderS will never forget that
Americans were first of all nations
to recognize our undisputable rights
to re-eStablish our republic & -
The United States were therefore
entitled to only the best from us.
But when the United States re-
quested from Iceland what they
cannot grant to any one, it was
impossible to say yes.
"1celandic interests alone domi-
nate in such matters. Therefore the
government could not do what the
United States requested"
Political Foes Agree.
Leaders of other political parties,
speaking on the same broadcast, de-
clared themselves in agreement
with Mr.. Thors' statements, en-
phasizing Iceland's desire to join
the United Nations with duties as
well as privileges.
Despite its unequivocal nature.
the prime minister's statement ap-
pears not to have changed the
American attitude that the sub
ject is not closed. While officials
refused to comment, the expectation
is that the issue may be pursued
again after Icelandic political issues
have been resolved in the election
two months hence.
Meanwhile. the United States is
prepared to 60 ahead at the proper
time in support of United Nations
membership for Iceland regard
less of the base negotiations, Wash
ington officials said.
Russia appears to have been
responsible for what both the
American and Icelandic Govern
ments evidently regard as an en-
forced premature revelation of the
air base discussions.
An American military airbase still
operates on the strategic Atlantic
island under an American Icelandic
agreement that the troops need not
be withdrawn until formal conclu-
sion OF the end of the war. This is
presumed here to mean the making
of peace treaties.
Iceland Most Important.
officials were reluctant to discuss
the development of the off-shore
defense system because it is not yet
very far advanced. But inquiry
brought this pattern of arrange
ments aimed primarily at security
of the United States:
l. Leases are being negotiated or
are projected for number of bases
at critical positions in the world
ranging from Iceland in the North
Atlantic to Manus Island in the
Australian section of the Southwest
Pacific. The State Department re-
fused for the time being to name
all the bases desired for lease, but
Iceland is one of the most impor-
tant. 1t lies on the most direct air
route between Washington and Mos
COW, being a few hundred miles