626. Memorandum of Discussion at the 472d Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, December 29, 1960, 10 a.m.1
[ Here follows discussion of matters unrelated to Cuba.]
Mr. Dulles reported that “Che” Guevara had returned to Cuba after a tour of the Communist Bloc with a great many agreements which, if carried out (a contingency Mr. Dulles considered unlikely), would result in more than half of Cuba’s foreign trade being with the Bloc. Guevara had made agreements with North Vietnam, North Korea, Mongolia, East Germany, the USSR, and Communist China. He had apparently established diplomatic relations with North Vietnam, Mongolia, Albania, and Hungary. He had obtained a $20 million credit from Czechoslovakia. Apparently, his negotiations with Moscow resulted in extensive trade-aid commitments. Moreover, Moscow had proclaimed its intention to combat “U.S. economic aggression” by providing Cuba with whatever imports it might need and by buying Cuban sugar. The Soviet delegation in Havana had signed an agreement for purchase of a million tons of Cuban sugar in return for Soviet POL. However, Guevara failed to get as much Soviet economic assistance as Cuba desired; a $300 million loan was turned down by the Soviets. Communist China granted some interest-free credit and agreed to train Cubans, particularly in building agricultural stations.
[Here follows discussion of matters unrelated to Cuba.]
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Prepared by Boggs.↩