October 31, 1962
Cable from Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko to USSR Ambassador to Cuba A. I. Alekseev
Visit Fidel Castro and tell him the following:
1. Say, that in Moscow we consider it necessary to satisfy U Thant's desire that the launchers, which are being dismantled, be shown to him and persons accompanying him, among them General Rikhye, even in the course of dismantling. It is advantageous for us, especially taking into account that U Thant has promised to make a statement immediately on his return to the USA, that the Soviet Union had fulfilled its commitments.
Inform [Castro] also about our consent to permit U Thant's representatives, if he raises such a question, to be allowed to visit sites of dismantling even after U Thant's departure from Cuba, in order to check that the dismantling has been carried out and to be sure about the launchers' withdrawal from Cuba.
Immediately inform about these instructions Pavlov [Pliyev], who has to fulfill them without delay.
2. Inform Fidel Castro that in Moscow it is considered advantageous U Thant's proposal about creating UN posts on the territory of Cuba, corresponding countries of Latin America, and in the USA territory in order to observe compliance with the commitments; this proposal corresponds to both the interests of Cuba and our common interests. Implementation of this proposal for a "UN presence," made by U Thant, would mean that the UN equally regard Cuba and the USA on this issue. That is advantageous for the party which does not intend to attack, i.e. for Cuba, and it is not advantageous for the party with aggressive intentions, i.e. for the USA and their assistants from the Latin American countries.
Immediately inform Pavlov [Pliyev] about these instructions too.
Express confidence that Fidel Castro and his friends would also accept U Thant's proposal, which is very important for us.
We proceed from the assumption that the Cuban government and comrade Pavlov [Pliyev] would undertake all the necessary measures on site.
Cable report on the execution of these instructions.
A. GROMYKO
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko cables the Soviet Embassy in Havana that the Soviet leadership had decided to allow UNSG U Thant and his representatives to visit Soviet launchers sites in Cuba and verify that the launchers are being dismantled.
Author(s):
Associated People & Organizations
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Subjects Discussed
- Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Central Committee
- Cuba--Armed forces
- Nuclear warfare
- Cuba--Foreign relations--Latin America
- Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
- National liberation movements--Latin America
- United Nations
- Imperialism--United States
- Military assistance, Soviet
- Soviet Union--Foreign policy
- Soviet Union--Foreign relations--United States
- Soviet Union--Military policy
- Cuba--Foreign relations--United States
- Ethiopia--Foreign relations--Soviet Union
- United Nations--Cuba
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