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  4. Document 126

126. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to All Posts in the American Republics1

Washington, December 20, 1961, 7:27 p.m.

1141. Depcirtel 1104.2 During conversations with Department officials Bogota, President Lleras said Colombian Fonmin Caicedo arriving Washington December 21 to confer and negotiate with representatives other governments, particularly those which abstained on December 4 convocation re substantive action to be taken at 8th MFM. Rather than conducting consultations on basis existing Colombian drafts, Caicedo would point out new circumstances created by Castro’s open identification himself and Cuba with communist ideology and policies Sino-Soviet bloc, and in effect seek suggestions for action which might go beyond that contemplated in present Colombian drafts, including possibility agreement on specific measures (sanctions) under Article 8. As result such consultations Colombia would prepare new draft or drafts upon which widest possible area of agreement to be sought prior to opening MFM.

FYI. We prepared and left with Colombians draft single combined resolution3 representing changes which in our view would substantially [Page 278] strengthen and clarify steps contemplated in present Colombian drafts and would also respond to certain comments made to our Missions on Colombian texts. Copies this draft being forwarded airmail for possible use in event it or similar draft becomes basis pre-MFM negotiations. End FYI.

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  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737.00/12-2961. Confidential. Drafted by Jamison; cleared by Assistant Legal Adviser for Inter-American Affairs Marjorie M. Whiteman, Director of the Office of Central American and Panamanian Affairs Katherine W. Bracken, Hemba, Belcher, and Crimmins; and approved by Woodward.↩
  2. Document 123.↩
  3. Reference is apparently to a “hypothetical draft” transmitted in circular airgram CA-715, December 22. It called on Cuba to renounce Marxism-Leninism, break with the Sino-Soviet bloc, and cease all attempts to subvert or overthrow the governments of other American Republics, and called on the governments of the American Republics to break diplomatic relations with Cuba unless it complied within 30 days. (Department of State, Central Files, 371.04/12-2261)↩