142. Telegram From Secretary of State Rusk to the Department of State1
Secto 41. Eyes only for the President and Acting Secretary. No Other Distribution. Deliver White House for President before 8:00 a.m. Conference has reached point where there is general agreement on every element of a fine result, except matter of expulsion or suspension of Cuba from OAS organs and agencies. Full day and night of most intensive negotiations has failed to produce a formula on which there can be more than 13 votes. What I have been working for is an answer which could get at least 18 if not 20 votes in order not to give Castro the satisfaction of having more important Latin American countries appear to be defending him. Bear in mind that exclusion or suspension from OAS organs is substitute for diplomatic sanctions which can probably get only 13 votes.
Argentina and Chile are more pliable but are unwilling to leave Brazil and Mexico completely in lurch. Latter two are ready to see Cuba expelled from most OAS organs but find it difficult for internal reasons to say so at this meeting. On other side, Colombia is leading Central American and rightist LA group but Colombian Foreign Minister is taking exceedingly stubborn position that this meeting must make executive decision to exclude Cuba from OAS now. Colombian FM is making no effort to find formula to produce unity on this point. Prospect is, therefore, that entire program is jeopardized because failure to agree on exclusion will mean no voting on all other items now agreed. I myself agree we must solve this question in order to make acceptable package meeting general support.
Have not had chance to consult Congressional advisers after tonight’s consultations going well past midnight but will see them first thing Tuesday morning. I will emphasize to them importance you and I attach to avoidance of split of OAS on basis bare 14 votes if possible, particularly since we have only 13.
Believe it would be of inestimable value if you could telephone Lleras Camargo immediately to ask him to instruct his Foreign Minister to give me maximum cooperation to find formula which could unite OAS on satisfactory basis rather than suffer fatal breakdown this conference and devastating split OAS. As former Secretary General OAS he should be responsive this appeal. Time is of essence because this tempest in teapot is making US and OAS look ridiculous.
[Page 305]Will meet with Central American and hard-line LA countries early Tuesday morning to attempt moderate their views. But what is needed is a genuine desire particularly by Colombia to find generally acceptable formula.
Regret this situation but it is consequence of bare majority of 14 which called this meeting over serious objections of other important countries and insufficient time for intergovernmental preparations before conference convened. As background your talk with Lleras Camargo, recall that Colombia precipitated December 4 action and this meeting without prior consultation with us. They have special obligation to do everything possible to make it outstanding success it could be if we could solve this particular deadlock.
Request you not instruct me to attempt proceed with remainder agreed program without solution to this problem because resentment would be so high among many delegations that conference would collapse without tangible results. Lleras Camargo should telephone his Foreign Minister to give us maximum time advantage.
Have had diplomatic undercover evidence here of deep jealousies between most small Latin American countries and few larger more important ones, as reflected earlier conference here on Alliance for Progress. Am confident that if we can settle this one remaining question, conference could provide startling demonstration unity of hemisphere and strong movement on communism and Castro during past several weeks and months.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 371.04/1-3062. Secret; Niact. Received at 3 a.m. and passed to the White House.↩