Cuba
254. Memorandum From Ashley Hewitt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Hewitt summarized a report on the evolution of relations between Panama and Cuba that was prepared by the CIA.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 781, Country Files, Latin America, Cuba, Vol. IV, 1972. Secret. Sent for information. Haig initialed the memorandum. Attached but not published at Tab A is a January 13 CIA Intelligence Memorandum.
256. Study Prepared in the Department of State
The Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs at the Department of State prepared a study on Soviet naval deployments to the Caribbean.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–189, National Security Study Memoranda (NSSM), NSSM 144. Top Secret. All brackets are in the original. It was sent under a March 13 covering memorandum from Ronald I. Spiers, in his capacity as Chairman of the NSC/IPMG, to Kissinger in response to NSSM 144, January 14. (Ibid.)
257. Study Prepared in the Department of State
The Department of State prepared a study on the legal position of the United States in the event that the U.S. Armed Forces should take action to protect third-country ships from Cuban attack.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 781, Country Files, Latin America, Cuba, Vol. IV, 1972. Top Secret. Sent under a March 16 covering memorandum from Eliot to Kissinger. Attached at Tab A but not published is Telegram 8394 from the JCS to RUCBSAA/CINCLANT, February 10, describing the Special Rules of Engagement. Tab B, the contingency plan approved by President Nixon, is published as Document 252.
258. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to President Nixon
Haig reported that the captain of the Johnny Express was still being held in Havana.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 781, Country Files, Latin America, Cuba, Vol. IV, 1972. Confidential. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. At the bottom of the memorandum, the President wrote: “Pass to Rebozo.” A notation in Haig’s handwriting reads, “Done by Haig April 5.”
259. Information Memorandum From Joseph B. Norbury of the Office of the Coordinator for Cuban Affairs, Department of State, to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Crimmins)
Deputy Assistant Secretary Crimmins reported on the Department of State’s plans should a Cubana de Aviación flight overfly U.S. territory en route to Canada.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 31–1 CUBA–US. Secret. Drafted by James S. Landberg (ARA/CCA). At the top of the first page, Crimmins wrote: “OK,” his initials, and the date, April 21. A note also initialed by Crimmins appears on the second page next to paragraph (6)(d), and reads: “To be decided at the time.” Attached to the memorandum is a copy of telegram 68905 to Ottawa, April 20, in which the Department alerted the Embassy to the possibility and instructed it to ask Canadian authorities about the flight (Ibid.)
260. Paper Prepared in the National Security Council
The National Security Council Staff prepared a chronology of March–May Soviet naval deployments to Cuba.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 782, Country Files, Latin America, Soviet Naval Activity in Cuban Waters, Vol. I, Cienfuegos. Top Secret; Sensitive. The date is handwritten.
261. Memorandum From William J. Jorden of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Jorden reported that the Cuban Ambassador to France had expressed interest in meeting with the American Consul General in Lyon.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 781, Country Files, Latin America, Cuba, Vol. IV, 1972. Confidential. Sent for information. Kissinger initialed the memorandum. The referenced telegram was not attached.
262. Memorandum From William J. Jorden of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Jorden reported on a proposal by the Cuban Government to release the ships and crewmen involved in the Johnny Express incident of December 1971.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 781, Country Files, Latin America, Cuba, Vol. IV, 1972. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for action. The approval line was not marked.
263. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Laird to Secretary of State Rogers
Secretary of Defense Laird indicated that he believed the U.S. Government should protest the use of Soviet TU–95 Bear Delta aircraft, flying out of Cuba, to conduct reconnaissance along the east coast of the United States.
Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–77A–0099, Cuba 1972. Confidential.
264. Memorandum From William J. Jorden of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Jorden reported on the status of José Villa, captain of the Johnny Express, who had been held in jail in Cuba since December 1971 and whose family received a promise from the President that the U.S. Government would do all it could to secure his release.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 781, Country Files, Latin America, Cuba, Vol. IV, 1972. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for action; Outside the System. Under option 5, Kissinger wrote, “Bill do memo from me to Haldeman. Emphasize what we’ve done and how they state objections. Ask about Rebozo.” Attached but not published at Tab A is the September 25 letter to President Nixon from Isabel Villa, Isabel Cristina Villa, Mary Pily Villa, and José Antonio Villa. In a November 1 memorandum to Haig, Jorden reported that he had traveled to Miami to meet with José Villa’s wife, whom he told that “we were hopeful we could get her husband released from Cuba in the not-too-distant future, but of course could make no promises.” (Ibid.)
265. Telegram 221538 From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations
The Department of State responded to press speculation that United States-Cuban hijacking negotiations might indicate a change in U.S. policy toward Cuba.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL CUBA–US. Unclassified. It was drafted by Philip K. Johnson (ARA/CCA); cleared in ARA/CCA and IO/UNP; and approved by Hurwitch.
266. Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency
CIA provided talking points regarding Cuban exile capabilities.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, ODCI Files, Job 80–R01731R. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Sent to Helms under a December 11, 1972, memorandum from the Deputy Director for Plans to Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Theodore G. Shackley.