361. Memorandum From Gordon Chase of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)0

SUBJECT

  • Cuban Note Protesting Exile Raids

The Cubans will probably circulate a note in the UN1 today protesting one of three recent exile raids on Cuba; [less than 1 line of source text not declassified]. USUN recommends that, in view of the Department’s press disclaimer last week,2 we wait for UN reaction before deciding whether or not to reply to the note.

Bill Bowdler tells me that it is standard procedure for the Cubans to circulate this sort of note in the UN; for example, they also circulated the note protesting US blocking controls. State agrees with USUN’s decision to wait for UN reaction before deciding whether or not to reply to the note. If asked, State’s public position is roughly “Beyond the reports of the Cuban Government, we have no knowledge of these events.”

GC
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Cuba, Exiles, 7/63-9/63. Secret; Eyes Only.
  2. The Cuban Permanent Representative sent the note to the United Nations on August 20, where it was received on August 23. A copy was sent to the Department of State in airgram A-257, August 28. (Department of State, Central Files, CUBA-US)
  3. Apparently a reference to a press briefing of diplomatic correspondents at the Department of State.