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

251. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations⁰

Washington, December 17, 1962, 9 p.m.

1677. Following is approved text of statement US would make in event Soviets prefer two separate statements rather than one joint statement that includes both agreed and disagreed points. This text reflects changes suggested by McCloy to Cleveland December 16¹ and changes agreed with Stevenson in Washington December 17.² While this text can be used with Soviets at your discretion, we assume next move is still up to Kuznetsov, whose reaction to December 12 draft of joint statement³ we still await.

Begin text

As a result of the exchange of communications between the President of the United States and the Chairman of the USSR Councilof Ministers on October 27-28, 1962, arising out of the recent Cuban crisis, the Representative of the United States wishes to make the following report to the Secretary General of the United Nations:

The United States takes note of the statement of the USSR that it has dismantled all of the missile sites and that it has removed from Cuba all of the missiles, all of the IL-28 bombers, and all nuclear weapons, missile components, and launching apparatus. It also takes note of the statement of the USSR that it will not reintroduce into Cuba those or other weapons systems of similar or comparable character. The United States also notes that in connection with the removal of the above-mentioned weapons, the Soviet Union has stated its intention to withdraw all military units and personnel placed in Cuba for the servicing or guarding of these weapons systems.

The United States wishes to inform the Secretary General that on the basis of such statements and acts the United States on November 20, 1962 lifted the quarantine which it had imposed around the Island of Cuba on October 24, 1962.

It was contemplated by the above-mentioned exchange of letters between the President and the Chairman that there would be created an effective system of international inspection in Cuba to verify the dismantling of the missile sites and the removal of the weapons, and to provide suitable safeguards against the further maintenance and introduction of such weapons in Cuba.

A procedure was arranged between the USSR andthe United States for verification at sea of the removal of the missiles and bombers which the Soviet Union declared it had introduced into Cuba. However, it has not been possible thus far to effect on the ground the contemplated international system of verification and safeguards.

Pending the installation of such a system to insure against the maintenance and reintroduction of such weapons and weapons systems into Cuba, the United States is compelled to continue to employ the means of observation and verification it has found necessary.

The President of the United States stated at a press conference on November 20 that provided all offensive weapons are removed from Cuba and kept out of the hemisphere in future, and provided Cuba itself commits no aggressive acts against any of the nations of the Western Hemisphere, it was not the intention of the United States to invade Cuba.

The President of the United States reaffirms his previous statement and repeats his assurance that, subject to the above conditions, the United States has no intention either to invade or support an invasion of Cuba.⁴

Nothing herein contained in any way affects the rights and obligations of any treaty or existing agreements to which the United States of America is a party.

The President of the United States expresses the hope that the action taken by the United States and the Soviet Union following the above-mentioned exchange of communications to avert the threat of war arising from the Cuban situation will lead to further constructive negotiations between the two countries to adjust the differences existing between them and generally lessen the tensions which might induce further danger of war. End text.

Rusk

0. Source:USUN Files:NYFRC 84-84-002, Incoming Telegram (TS, Exdis, etc.) 1962. Top Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text.
1. No record of those suggestions were found.
2. See Document 249.
3. See Document 243.
4. Confirming a U. Alexis Johnson-McCloy telephone conversation of the morning of December 18, the Department sent a substitute paragraph for paragraphs 7 and 8 in this telegram. The new paragraph reads: “The United States further gives assurance that provided no nuclear weapons or other weapons capable of offensive use are present in or reinforced into Cuba, and provided Cuba does not take action to threaten the peace and security of the Western Hemisphere, it does not intend, as the President made clear at his press conference on November 20, to invade Cuba or support an invasion of Cuba.” (Telegram 1685 to USUN, December 18, 12:27 p.m.;USUN Files:NYFRC 84-84-002, Incoming Telegram (TS, Exdis, etc.) 1962)