Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–11, Part 1, Documents on Mexico; Central America; and the Caribbean, 1973–1976

325. Message From the Department of State to the Swiss Embassy in Havana¹

Washington, November 11, 1976.

Ref: H–4442

Request Embassy deliver the following message to MinRex by note:

Quote:

The Government of the United States of America learned from international broadcasts on October 15, 1976 that the Prime Minister of Cuba had denounced the February 15, 1973 Memorandum of Understanding on Hijacking of Aircraft and Vessels and other Offenses. A note from the Cuban Government to this effect, incorporating the text of the Prime Minister’s speech, was handed to a representative of the State Department by the Swiss Embassy in Washington late that evening.

The United States Government regards this action by Cuba as unjustified and arbitrary. The 1973 Agreement was a constructive step in international relations, a strong fiber in the web civilized countries are attempting to build to prevent international terrorism.

With respect to the Prime Minister’s statements that United States Government agencies were involved in the crash of the Cubana Airliner, it should be clear to all that the United States condemns terrorism in all forms, from whatever source, regardless of motivation. We state categorically that the United States had nothing whatsoever to do with this act.

Likewise the United States Government had nothing to do, directly or indirectly, with any of the various terrorist actions enumerated in Prime Minister Castro’s speech.

The attempt to impute to the CIA responsibility for terrorist actions about which it had no prior knowledge is a red herring. It can only be regarded as an attempt to exploit a tragic incident involving the loss of life to sow suspicions among countries having friendly relations with the United States.

The statement in Prime Minister Castro’s October 15 speech that the United States did not reply to an earlier warning that the Hijacking Agreement might cease to have effect is incorrect. In the most recent exchange of notes on this subject the United States on August 17 described our actions under the Agreement and reiterated our “firm desire that the Memorandum be interpreted and implemented faithfully and meticulously by both parties . . .”

The United States Government holds the Cuban Government strictly accountable for any encouragement of hijacking which its denunciation of the 1973 Memorandum of Understanding may give psychologically or in a practical way to potential hijackers.

The United States Government notes the statement in the Government of Cuba’s note that the 1973 Agreement will remain in effect until April 15, 1977. The United States Government expresses its grave concern about the implications for the safety of international travellers thereafter.

1. Summary: The U.S. Government expressed concern over the Cuban Government’s October 15 denunciation of the 1973 agreement between the two countries on hijacking.

   Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840037–0211. No classification marking. Attached to a November 19 covering memorandum to Kissinger, in which Shlaudeman reported that Cuban Foreign Minister Roa had said in accepting the note that the “U.S. attitude was slightly different from your [Kissinger’s] earlier statements about the Cubana crash,” a statement that Shlaudeman interpreted as a possible “contrivance to signal to the next administration Cuban interest in dialogue with the U.S.” (Ibid., P840037–0209) For the 1973 hijacking agreement, see Document 271. Message H–4442 was not found.