From the Journal of A.I. Alekseyev, 'Record of a Conversation with Fidel Castro Ruz, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, 24 February 1963'

Top Secret Copy Nº 1

3 April 1963

Outgoing Nº 103

from the journal of

A. I. ALEKSEYEV

RECORD OF A CONVERSATION

with Fidel CASTRO RUZ  Prime Minister of the

Republic of Cuba

24 February 1963

I attended a meeting of the Medical Congress held here at which Fidel Castro was to make a speech. The latter, seeing me, called me over and said that tonight, at the end of his speech, he would immediately leave for the province of Las Villas in order to lead a large operation to eliminate [rebel] bands. Therefore, he said, I won’t be able to be present at the reception which the Embassy is holding on 25 February on the occasion of the 45^th anniversary of the Soviet Army. Consequently, please excuse me and do not draw any conclusions from my absence at the reception.

Thanking Fidel for the notice, I told him that, bearing in mind the sincerity of our relations, he could be confident that we do not plan to draw any conclusions and we understand him. I then informed Castro that two CPSU CC letters addressed to him touching on Chinese-Soviet relations had been received and I briefly told of their contents. Fidel asked that the letters be sent to him when he returned from the province.

USSR AMBASSADOR IN THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA (A. ALEKSEYEV)