418. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State1
11862. USIAEA. Subject: Cuban Influence on Soviet Signing of Tlatelolco Treaty Protocol.
1. Subject of Treaty of Tlatelolco and Protocols arose in conversation between Emboff and MFA Disarmament Chief, Roland Timerbayev, August 10. Emboff asked if there had been any movement on the Soviet consideration of Protocol One and Timerbayev replied that it was still under study. Some weeks ago Timerbayev had expressed doubt to Emboff that U.S. ratification of Protocol Two would be without reservation and hinted that possible U.S. reservations on Protocol Two could affect Soviet action on Protocol One. Asked about reasons for delay in Soviet action, he mentioned Cuba and when pressed said that “it is logical to assume” that Soviet-Cuban relations were an important factor in Soviet decision on ratification. He refused to be drawn out further. He also claimed that the Soviet Union was trying to get the Cubans to sign the NPT, and that Moscow expected to assume the major share of the burden among the nuclear powers in getting Cuba to sign. In the same way, the USSR looked to the U.S. and [Page 1055] other Western nuclear powers to play the major role in getting the South Africans to adhere to the NPT.
2. Comment: To best of our knowledge, this is first comment by Soviet official on Cuban influence on Soviet signing of Protocol One of Treaty although Editor-in-Chief of Latin America magazine, Sergo Mikoyan, made general linkage to Emboffs during recent conversation (June 2 Memcon pouched to Dept).2