Telegram from Polish Embassy in Moscow (Jaszczuk), 25 December 1962

Ciphergram No. 18512

Dispatched from Moscow on 12.25.1962 at 20:30

Received on 12.26.1962 at 14:25

Came into the Deciphering Department on 12.26.1962 at 15:30

To: Zenon KLISZKO, Eyes only

From: [Ambassador Boleslaw] JASZCZUK¹

Based on the conversation with Yuri Andropov in the Central Committee on the 25th:

The Section for [Soviet relations] with the socialist countries in the International Department of the CC CPSU has recently encompassed Cuba.

…

Cuba. The Cuban comrades understand the Soviet moves following the explanations by [Anastas] Mikoyan. At the same time, they do not agree (without showing it externally) with the withdrawal of the missiles without asking them first. They are pointing to the issue of [American] guarantee. To be sure, everyone is aware of the fact that we cannot have complete guarantees from the Americans. However, we will not unleash a nuclear war in defense of Cuba. We need to help Cuba economically and politically; this is our responsibility. Andropov reiterated this by making the following statement: “Comrade Jaszczuk, we must help Cuba and we must help it a great deal.” The party situation in Cuba is complicated. There are 10 thousand communists in the Revolutionary Workers’ Party of Cuba for the total of 25 thousand. This is an organization which is patchy and loose. Besides the dedicated Marxists, there are those in the organization who do not agree with Marxism. They are all very honest people but they have no revolutionary experience. This is why there are possible deviations within the party. The Cubans reprinted the article from Renmin Ribao [People’s Daily] entitled “The Proletarians of All Countries Unite!” Then, they explained themselves that, initially, they had received the first part of Khrushchev’s speech to the session of the Supreme Council. They fully agree with the international situation and the Cuban conflict. Having received the second part of Khrushchev’s speech which contained a secret criticism of the position and conduct of the CCP, they thought it right, after they had printed it, to also publish the content of the Chinese article. As we can see, they are following a policy of balancing two sides.

[1] Boleslaw Jaszczuk, Poland’s Ambassador to the Soviet Union from December 2, 1959 to September 25, 1963.