Memorandum of Telephone Conversation between Mexican Foreign Ministry official and Mexican Ambassador to Brazil

MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION

Today at 12:45, Ambassador [Alfonso] García Robles called by telephone from Rio de Janeiro and communicated to the Director General of the Diplomatic Service that that morning, at the request of [Hermes Lima,] the Prime Minister and [acting] Minister of Foreign Relations, he had a long meeting with him to examine the Cuban situation.^[1]

Professor Lima informed Ambassador García Robles that the government of Brazil had asked its Ambassador in Cuba – the same as the Ambassador of Cuba in Rio de Janeiro – to transmit to the Cuban government the conviction of the Brazilian government that it would be advisable for Cuba to examine the possibility of taking the initiative itself of suggesting a UN Investigating Commission (composed naturally of countries that have an independent position) go to the island.

The Brazilian government thinks that this measure could contribute towards finding a solution and undoubtedly lessening the current tension.

Prime Minister Lima also expressed that Itamaraty [Brazil’s foreign ministry] had knowledge that a draft resolution would be presented to the Security Council of the United Nations, that in this respect the Brazilian Representative at the Organization had received instructions to standardize [normar] his posture, in conversations with other delegates, according to the following points: a) favor whatever draft resolution asks for an investigation; b) for now this should not go further; c) for the measures that should eventually be adopted, wait for the result of the investigation in keeping with the process of the United Nations Charter.

In relation to the Organization of American States [OAS], Professor Lima assured Ambassador García Robles that the Brazilian delegate had refrained, together with the Mexican [delegate], from voting in favor of calling the Provisional Organ of Consultation for lack of instructions. With regard to the essence of the matter, instructions have been sent to the Brazilian Representative this morning stating that Brazil would have no objections if, on the basis that resolution 8 of Punta del Este was approved, a system of control, was established to obstruct the transfer of arms, without this going further than that for the moment.^[2] On the other hand, whatever resolution [that is approved] should make reference to the investigation that the United Nations carries out and indicate that they should await results of this investigation.

The Prime Minister of Brazil asked the Mexican Ambassador that he communicate this to this Secretariat [Foreign Ministry] with the wish that Brazil keeps in closest possible contact with it in these moments.

Finally Ambassador García Robles asked that he be kept up to date with what the Secretariat [Ministry] of Foreign Relations considers pertinent to communicate.

Mexico, D.F., 23 October 1962

[1] Ed note: Prime Minister Hermes Lima at that time was temporarily also serving as foreign minister due to the illness of San Tiago Dantas.

[2] Ed note: This refers to a resolution passed at the January 1962 meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay, at which hemispheric countries approved measures against Cuba.