53. Memorandum of conversation, September 25, between President Kennedy and Ambassador Turbay1
SECRETARY’S DELEGATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 19–24, 1961
SUBJECT
- Lleras Plan
PARTICIPANTS
-
US
- President Kennedy
-
Colombia
- Ambassador Turbay
Before the Secretary’s lunch today for the Latin Americans, there was a short exchange of views between President Kennedy and Ambassador Turbay (Colombia). The President was interested in the progress of the Lleras Plan. Ambassador Turbay said it consisted of three resolutions, designed to test Cuba’s willingness to conform to and remain within the Inter-American System. His exposition of this substance was as he gave it to Secretary Rusk on September 22. The texts had not yet come from Bogota.
Ambassador Turbay then said he hoped the President would speak of the Plan to President Frondizi, since Turbay had the impression the Argentine position was not as clear as it had seemed to be. President Kennedy asked whether in Ambassador Turbay’s opinion a conference of Foreign Ministers could or should be called. The reply was that unless Argentine, Brazil, and Ecuador were in line (it was useless to hope Mexico would be), the bulk of the OAS members would abstain. It was true that if fourteen members were in agreement on a subject, the rest had to go along, but in this case, without these key members’ approval, there would not be fourteen votes. President Kennedy inquired whether Argentina was the key to this problem. Turbay replied in the affirmative, saying good support by Argentina would surely bring Brazil and probably Ecuador along.
President Kennedy expressed the U.S. appreciation for Colombia’s and Ambassador Turbay’s initiative in the Cuban matter.
- Lleras Plan to test Cuba’s willingness to remain in the Inter-American system. Confidential. 1 p. Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Colombia, 1961.↩