Telegram from Yugoslav Embassy in Havana (Vidaković) to Yugoslav Foreign Ministry

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FPRY

Sending: Havana

Received: 1.XI 62. at 15.00

No. 249

Taken into process: 1.XI 62. at 15.00

Date: 31.X 1962

Completed: 1.XI 62. at 16.50

Telegram

14

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

There has been only the first Tito message after the blockade in the Cuban press in the first days since the beginning of the crisis, concerning Yugoslavia, as the indicator of the political reaction and understanding of particular events. It was short information, but placed very well. “Revolución” gave captions on the first page – “Tito asks for urgent [UN General] Assembly Session” and “Hoy” had a headline “Tito urges for lifting the blockade.” Then news on Tito-Goulart messages [on] 26 [October] were mentioned in the moment of the culmination of the crisis. Besides the meeting of U Thant with the ambassadors of the sides involved in the dispute, he was only visited by the “Yugoslav delegate V. Popovic.” Among a number of telegrams, there was one from our Unions and that was all.

The role of the nonaligned countries during the crisis was presented only through individual cases of the countries, and not as a coordinated action. UAR [United Arab Republic; Egypt] and Brazil were only mentioned. The visit of [Brazilian emissary Gen. Albino] Da Silva wasn’t mentioned at all in the press, [nor was] the letter from [Mexican President Alfonzo López] Mateos.

The action of U Thant had one of the central places concerning the publicity in all that time. His coming and talks were defined as “he is coming to talk and not to make an inspection.” The greatest attention to mass manifestations of solidarity with Cuba all over the world, “people with Cuba.”

-- USSR had the most prominent place [in the Cuban press] until its acceptance of disassembling of the bases. With bombastic headlines [such as] “USSR will respond”, editorials about the “great leader”, press full of pictures of C[astro]. Among troops, there is pompous preparation ahead of his [i.e., Castro’s] speech tomorrow.

-- With regard to Sino-Indian clashes, nothing [in the Cuban press]. About Chinese declarations and manifestations of solidarity [with Cuba], [in the Cuban press there is] a lot. Today, the entire editorial from “Renmin Ribao” [“People’s Daily”] related to the Soviet decision to withdraw “offensive weapons” and [expressing] whole-hearted support for Castro’s 5 points.

Vidaković