October 27, 1962
Soviet Intelligence Report on Meeting with Scali and American Proposal
This document was made possible with support from Leon Levy Foundation
REPORT #5626/273 from 27.X.62
from incoming (outgoing) ciphered telegram # 30813/805
from 27 October 1962 from Washington
"Send to comr. Gromyko. Report to comr. SEMICHASTNYI."
SAKHAROVSKll. 27.X.
The KGB Station Chief [in Washington][1] met with a correspondent from a television company, J. SCALI,[2] who said that in the next 48 hours there will be a troop landing in Cuba, following the bombardment of missile bases. He wondered how the Soviet Union would react to this decision, what would happen to West Berlin. The station chief replied that West Berlin would be at the very least occupied and that all socialist countries, including China, would support the USSR. SCALI wondered why CASTRO would not make an announcement stating his readiness to dismantle and remove the missile installations, if the US President provides guarantees of non-intervention for Cuba. If CASTRO makes such an announcement, it would be favorably received in the US government and military circles. SCALI declined to name which leaders he had in mind.
In the evening of the same day, SCALI requested an urgent meeting. At the meeting he stated that he was delegated by the highest authorities in the US government [pravitelstve] to make the following proposal: the US offers CASTRO to make a public announcement of his readiness to dismantle and remove from Cuba long-range missiles and to never accept them under the condition that the United States provides guarantees not to attack Cuba. CASTRO must agree to carry out the dismantling under the observation of neutral observers sent by the UN. If the Soviet government agrees to such a proposal, the American government suggests starting immediate discussion of this among ZORIN, STEVENSON and U THANT. The American government does not object to Cuba keeping defensive-type missiles, such as anti-aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, and missiles to defend the coast against military ships.
The station chief expressed the opinion that it would be desirable right to withdraw, under the supervision of UN observers, American forces concentrated in the South of the US, that threaten Cuba. SCALI said that the President could make a secret pledge to withdraw American troops.
SCALI once again emphasized that he was indeed delegated by the highest authorities to make the aforementioned proposal.
Executed by [redacted name] [signature] 31.10.62.
one copy typed from stenograph, notebk. #314
to file # [redacted], vol. # 1
pech. [redacted]
ved. #16/s/5631, 31.X.62
[1] Aleksandr Feklisov, alias "Fomin."
[2] John Scali of ABC News.
Report on the exchanges between the KGB Station Chief in Washington and ABC News correspondent John Scali. They discuss possible Soviet actions in West Berlin in the case of an American invasion of Cuba and an American offer not to invade Cuba if Fidel Castro publicly pledges to dismantle the long-range missiles. Washington would agree to let Cuba keep the defensive-type missiles and might make a secret pledge to withdraw the American troops in the South.
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