529. Memorandum of a Conversation With the President, White House, Washington, June 10, 19601

[Here follows discussion of matters unrelated to Cuba.]

The next subject taken up by Mr. Herter was that of the OAS statement put out that day regarding Trujillo. He said it is now possible to go ahead with actions concerning Cuba. The President thought this was fine. He commented that this could be done within the OAS to the extent possible. Mr. Herter recalled that Prime Minister Beltran of Peru expressed great concern over the inroads being made by Castroism and Communism within labor and student groups in South America. The President agreed that Beltran had been quite alarmed at the penetration by Communism in these groups. He hoped the Peruvians would support action against Castro.

Mr. Herter next mentioned the problem regarding the Nicaro plant. We are in a position of being unable to ship out the nickel that is being mined and manufactured. We have to take some kind of action, and he thought the only thing we could do is to go ahead and close down the plant.

Mr. Herter next said that William Pawley has been working with a right-wing group of Cubans, including former Batista police. [2 sentences (4 lines) not declassified] The President asked Mr. Herter to call up Mr. Pawley and tell him to get out of this operation, [less than 1 line not declassified].

[Here follows discussion of matters unrelated to Cuba.]

  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Top Secret. Prepared and initialed by Goodpaster on July 5. Other participants included Herter, Persons, Dillon, and Goodpaster.