Record of Romanian Workers Party Politburo Discussion, 26 June 1963, re Nikita Khrushchev Visit to Romania

Bucharest [30 June 1963]

Shorthand record of the meeting of the Political Bureau of C.C. of R.W.P. (26 June 1963), after the visit of Nikita Khrushchev in Romania (24-25 June 1963)

Comrade Leontin Sălăjan: Why it bothers him that issue raised by the Chinese, who said that primarily each one should rely on themselves [?]

Comrade Gh. Gheorghiu-Dej: He [Khrushchev – our note] only confirmed that the people of that country are building socialism and we do not know what it is based on.

Comrade Leontin Sălăjan: Of course here, with Cuba, I think that he never forgot that he had said to Comrade [Gheorghe] Gheorghiu[-Dej].

Comrade Gh. Gheorghiu-Dej: He forgot. I asked myself “why did he forget?” He didn’t talk with me, he didn’t ask my opinion, but just so, I only was informed by him that he sent missiles to Cuba. I am glad that you understood and you were not itching for a drubbing to tell [your views to him], because first you have offended him, is a bad sign for him, it wasn’t a simple problem or secondary.

Comrade Leontin Sălăjan: Such a problem should be discussed; by himself he said that we were close to war.

Comrade Gh. Gheorghiu-Dej: First of all, the way in which [Khrushchev] presented the problem about Cuba doesn’t stand to logic. He said at one point that it was an adventure on their part, that we couldn’t know if it will generate or not generate a war, then, during the exposure time, expressing his opinion to the end, he wanted to show us how many times they had met and discussed this problem on the Presidium, to indicate that they seriously treated these things and eventually they had to send those missiles for defending Cuba and that were strictly necessary to defend Cuba.