Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XI, Cuban Missile Crisis and Aftermath

116. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to the Members of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council⁰

Washington, October 30, 1962.

There will be a meeting without the President in the Conference Room of the Under Secretary of State at 6:00 p.m. this evening,¹ at which time Mr. Ball will lead discussion of some of the outstanding issues. It will be helpful if members can find a little time to think about them beforehand. Among these issues are the following:²

1. What are the conditions for lifting the quarantine, either temporarily or permanently?

2. What other procedures for inbound inspection of shipments from the bloc are practicable?

3. What is our plan for the resumption, the continuance, and the possible abandonment of aerial reconnaissance?

4. What is our policy for the problem of definition of offensive weapons?

5. What verification do we expect before the re-export of offensive weapons?

6. What shape and definition can we give to our undertaking not to disturb the peace of the Caribbean?

7. What are the elements of a new policy toward refugee Cubans?

8. What political action can we take to exploit strains in the Castro regime?

9. What can be the long-term balance of assurance of our undertakings as against those of the USSR?

McGeorge Bundy³

0. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Executive Committee, Vol. II, Meetings 11-16. Top Secret; Sensitive.
1. No record of this meeting has been found, but it is noted in Rusk’s Appointment Book. (Johnson Library)
2. Another list of issues for this meeting is in the Supplement. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Cuba, General 10/28/62-10/31/62)
3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.