Reference is made to a request from your office for brief comments on the
Resolution on Freedom to Travel adopted and submitted by the United
States Section of the Women’s International League for Peace and
Freedom.2
There is attached a statement which sets forth our comments and views on
this Resolution. It has been cleared with the Bureau of Far Eastern
Affairs and the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs.
Attachment
FREEDOM TO TRAVEL
The Department is in complete agreement with and follows the
guarantee contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
that “everyone has the right to leave any country, including his
own, and to return to his country.” It is also our view that
restriction on travel is an inroad and a hindrance to the free
exchange of information upon which our domestic society depends. It
follows, therefore, that restrictions on the travel of our citizens
to certain countries or areas abroad should be and are imposed only
when such travel constitutes a serious threat to our foreign policy
or other national interest.
The designation from time to time of certain countries or areas of
the world as forbidden to United States citizens who desire to
travel there falls within the power to conduct foreign affairs. The
decision to restrict is in and of itself a foreign policy
determination and every citizen should do his part to aid in the
implementation of this policy.
It is axiomatic that the conduct of foreign affairs necessarily
involves flexible measures and policies which must be reviewed and
adjusted to meet changing conditions. The Department has under
constant review the countries or areas which are restricted to U.S.
travellers and makes changes in the designations when warranted.
The policy of restricting travel of U.S. citizens to certain
designated countries or areas does not mean that no U.S. citizens
can travel to those areas. Specially validated passports have been
and are being issued to travellers when the travel is regarded as
being in the best interests of the United States. In the
implementation of our foreign policy and especially in relation to
Communist China, an arrangement exists whereby news-gathering
agencies with a demonstrated interest in reporting foreign news have
designated news representatives who are authorized to travel to
Communist China. With the exception of two rather atypical cases,
the Peiping regime has refused visas to all American correspondents
to enter that area. Family members of United States citizens
imprisoned in Communist China have also been issued passports valid
for travel to Communist China, and usually are permitted to
enter.
In the case of Cuba, the important current reason for closely
controlling travel to Cuba is that the United States and other
governments of this Hemisphere are engaged in a cooperative effort
to isolate Cuba in order to limit the Castro regime’s ability to
promote subversion in other countries and to prevent the
consolidation of communism in Cuba. The Castro regime is bringing
Latin American trainees to Cuba, instructing them in subversive
techniques, including guerrilla warfare,
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and returning them to their countries to
initiate or support subversive movements.
Legitimate newsmen and other news media personnel have been issued
specially validated passports to enable them to observe the Cuban
scene and keep the American public informed on the true situation
there. Also, American Red Cross personnel and others travelling for
humanitarian reasons have been granted passports validated for
travel to Cuba. It should be noted, however, that the Castro regime,
through its control of visas, determines which persons may enter
Cuba. In many instances persons who have passports validated for
travel to Cuba have had their visas refused or long delayed because
the Castro regime did not want them to enter Cuba,
The Department desires to emphasize to the National Board of the
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom that the decision
to place such restrictions on travel is a supplementary phase in the
conduct of foreign affairs and that it will contribute to our
ultimate objectives of world peace and stability, reduction of
tensions, and resistance to Communism.
