705. Memorandum from Chase to McGeorge Bundy, August 91
SUBJECT
- Cuba—Pending Items
Here are a number of items which are likely to come to your attention while I am gone. At the end of each item, I have noted the names of some of the people who have more than a surface knowledge of the issues involved.
1. Expropriation of American Embassy in Havana
Castro is apparently still wavering in his original resolve to take over the Embassy building, including its contents. He seems relatively sensitive to the reaction of the Swiss who have been taking a very firm position against expropriation on the grounds that it is an unusual violation of established international practice. We have encouraged the Swiss to maintain their firm position and have also encouraged other Free World countries to protest the Cuban action. So far, Ambassador Stadelhofer has had only preliminary talks with the Cubans. He has not yet seen Castro. (Alexis Johnson, John Crimmins)
2. Reply to Cuban Note on Overflights
State is now clearing the reply with DOD; it will be over here in the next day or so. The note is a short, undetailed version, referring to our “well-known, publicly-expressed position on over-flights.” Barring any unusual developments (particularly, with respect to the Embassy expropriation issue), State intends to deliver the note to the Cubans sometime next week. (The Secretary, Alexis Johnson, Ed Martin, John Crimmins)
3. American Students in Cuba
The American students are still in Havana. State has no firm information on when they will leave, but guesses it will be in the next few days. A week to ten days after the return of the students, Justice Department will send to the White House, for clearance, its recommendations for action against these students. Justice estimates that it will be able to start Grand Jury proceedings about three days after its [Typeset Page 1813] recommendations are approved. (Bromley Smith, Abba Schwartz, Assistant Attorney General Walter Yeagley)
[Facsimile Page 2]4. The Cuban Amendment
The Cuban amendment is included in the House bill which has recently come out of Committee. State is sanguine that the Senate will not include the Cuban amendment in its bill and that the Senate will knock out the Cuban amendment in conference. State has been educating appropriate Senators about the amendment. (Mike Forrestal, Fred Dutton, John Crimmins)
5. Contingency Planning for Further Cuban Immigration
There have been indications over the past few weeks that we may get increasing pressures from Empress Lines (a ferry service hoping to operate between Havana and Miami) and possibly from the Cuban Government itself to resume further large-scale immigration from Cuba. State is opposed to allowing further immigration and Bob Hurwitch is preparing a paper describing our policy. The paper will include the reasoning behind the State position, as well as a suggested public position. The public position should be of some interest to the White House since a closed-door policy on Cuban immigration could cause some level of public heat. (John Crimmins, Bob Hurwitch)
- Pending Cuban items: expropriation of American Embassy in Havana; reply to Cuban note on overflights; American students in Cuba; the Cuban amendment; contingency planning for further Cuban immigration. Secret. 2 pp. Kennedy Library, NSF, Countries Series, Cuba, General, Vol. XI (A), 8/63.↩