137. Telegram From Secretary of State Rusk to the Department of State1
Secto 8. Eyes only for the President and Acting Secretary. No Other Distribution.2 Have concentrated during first day of Conference on intensive consultation with other Foreign Ministers singly and in groups to get direct sense of situation and to discuss with them US political and other problems related to the Conference results.
[Page 297]On issue of obligatory diplomatic and economic sanctions there is strong support among 14 who voted December 4 to call this meeting, except for Uruguay and Haiti who, for different reasons, are wobbling. Situation which Haedo would readily resolve on cash basis of aid. Haiti is holding aloof possibly because of Duvalier’s disgruntlement over recent aid discussions as well as from nervousness that Haiti may be next in terms of outside intervention against dictatorship.
It seems clear that Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia have been moving significantly in recent weeks but still too early to determine exact basis on which broad consensus might be reached.
Have used in private talks fact that President Kennedy is now calling upon US people and Congress for greater support of OAS than has any President. This includes massive Alliance for Progress program, trade authority to negotiate common market external tariffs downward on most favored nation basis and commodity arrangements. This means President needs OAS support to demonstrate to American opinion that such support is both needed and deserved. Have also spoken frankly with Foreign Ministers key larger countries about necessity OAS deciding whether such problem as Cuba can be handled multilaterally or whether we revert to unilateral action and law of jungle in hemisphere. Have also discreetly indicated what action taken this Conference could have significant bearing on Khrushchev’s estimate determination of free world in decisions he must be making about such matters as Berlin and Southeast Asia.
Believe there are many points on which there could be near unanimity, including basic proposition that communist country is incompatible with membership in and obligations of hemisphere system. Even Mexico seems prepared join in some such declaration. There will also be strong support for certain detailed steps such as exclusion Cuba from Inter-American Defense Board, embargo of arms traffic between Cuba and rest of hemisphere and strengthening of Peace Committee to give it vigilance functions regarding security questions posed by Cuban activity.
As result these consultations, my present thought is that we might substitute for obligatory breach of diplomatic relations, the exclusion of present government of Cuba from participation in organs of OAS. This would, in fact, be more drastic action than breach of relations remaining countries having Ambassadors Havana. On economic side, I would be prepared to use exactly the formula used with Dominican Republic, namely, to start now with arms trade and ask COAS to recommend additional steps.
Congressional advisers naturally want strongest possible line although they recognize complications, including fact that there may not be 14 votes for simplest form of obligatory diplomatic and economic sanctions applied at this meeting.
[Page 298]Will have specific recommendations for President’s consideration after Tuesday’s consultations during which we will be getting results discussions among Argentina, Brazil and Chile as to how far they think they can go to meet our position. One important element is passionate determination Central Americans and Panama to get immediate and drastic sanctions to which they consider themselves entitled because they are countries under most direct attack.
Will advise later.