316. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassies in Japan and Norway1
23608. Addressees should not raise with host government. Following State 23608 dtd Jan 24 86. Sent action Reykjavik being repeated for your info: Quote: Subject: Letter from Secretary to FM Hallgrimsson on Whaling.
1. (C—Entire text)
2. Charge is requested to deliver the following letter to Foreign Minister Hallgrimsson at earliest opportunity. There will be no signed original.
3. Begin text: Dear Geir:
When we met in November, I promised you that we would study possible U.S. reaction to the proposed undertaking by Iceland of a scientific whaling program without appropriate action by the IWC.2
We have now obtained the view of the Secretary of Commerce, who is responsible under the Pelly and Packwood-Magnuson amendments for reviewing the activities of other nations to determine whether such activities would diminish the effectiveness of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (Convention) or its conservation program.3 The Secretary of Commerce cannot provide any assurances that the Icelandic proposal for scientific whaling and the resulting trade in whale by-products with Japan during the moratorium would not be found to diminish the effectiveness of the Convention or its conservation program. The Department of Commerce is also of the view that whaling by Iceland under its proposed scientific program, without appropriate action by the IWC, and trade in whale by-products with Japan would be likely to require certification of Iceland and Japan under the Pelly and Packwood-Magnuson amendments. Certification under the Packwood-Magnuson amendment and the resulting legislatively mandated reduction of fisheries allocations in the U.S. exclusive economic zone would not have an immediate impact on Iceland since Iceland does not presently receive such allocations. However, it would affect allocations that Iceland might receive in the future under the U.S.–Iceland governing International Fisheries Agreement. However, sanctions under the Pelly amendment would most likely affect both [Page 884] Iceland and Japan and result in restrictions on fisheries exports to the United States.
Regardless of the effect of any U.S. Government sanctions, the active opposition by U.S. private environmental groups would seem likely to have a severe effect on the Icelandic fisheries trade with the U.S. Should Iceland proceed without the IWC’s having taken appropriate action, it could well find itself in the position of having jeopardized a major source of foreign exchange earnings.
We have reviewed your memorandum carefully, but in light of our legislation we cannot give the assurances which you seek. In the years we have worked together, wherever possible we have tried to accommodate Icelandic interests to the extent permissible by U.S. laws because of the special value we attach to our friendship with your country. You are no doubt aware of the most recent example of this in the question of Icelandair traffic rights in the United States.4 It would seem that the best resolution of this matter would be to work closely with the IWC and postpone initiation of any program until the IWC has taken appropriate action.5
Sincerely yours, George P. Shultz. End text. Shultz Unquote.
- Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D860061–0044. Confidential. Drafted and approved by Thayer and cleared in EAP/J, EUR/NE/IR, and S/S.↩
- See footnote 13, Document 313.↩
- See Document 315 and footnote 6 thereto.↩
- In telegram 2009 from Reykjavik, September 10, 1985, the Embassy described Icelandic efforts to reduce the noise from Icelandair aircraft in order to meet FAA specifications. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D850643–0183)↩
- In telegram 209 from Reykjavik, January 29, the Embassy reported that Hermannsson was disappointed with the content of the letter. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D860324–0480)↩