Telegram from Chilean Embassy in Rio de Janeiro (Ruiz Solar)

REPUBLIC OF CHILE

Ministry of Foreign Relations.   

POLITICAL DEPARTMENT

9607

From Rio de Janeiro

Mr.  Minister of Foreign Relations

Santiago de Chile -

No. 321

17 November 1962.-

[Not] Finding the Foreign Minister and concurrently Prime Minister [Hermes Lima] in Brazil, [and in] fulfillment of instructions in your telegram no. 203, I met with Undersecretary [Carlos A.] Bernardes whom I made aware of all your arguments and observations. He answered in the following way:

FIRST.- He finds great similarity in proposals contained [in] your telegram with [regards to] points of view held permanently by Brazil as well as with the current efforts of [U] Thant which, according to reports in his possession, is on its way to being accepted.;

SECOND.- According to the Undersecretary, Thant’s proposal mainly consists in establishing permanent inspection in Cuba by representatives of neutral countries chosen by the Cuban Government.

THIRD. - He believes that Castro’s government has no other alternative other than accepting the aforementioned proposal.

FOURTH.- He qualified your proposal as “very good” and added that he inclines towards collective action through a separate note of equal tenor to the one you propose. However, he stated his opinion needed to be confirmed by that of the Minister who would later call Brasilia, promising to give me his answer as soon as possible.

FIFTH.- He ended by telling me that, should the effort be accomplished, very careful language would need to be employed, given Castro’s arrogant character.

He referred to letter g) of your proposal the text of which I previously paraphrased and had left in his possession, that in his view could be considered a veiled threat. The rest of the text in principal did not merit observations for him.  I will keep you informed. RUIZ SOLAR