353. Editorial Note
In a meeting with Ambassador at Large Thompson on September 10, 1963, Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin indicated that he had a personal message for President Kennedy from Chairman Khrushchev. Dobrynin stated that “the Soviet Government considered that things had recently taken a turn for the better in the international situation and in relations between the Soviet Union and the United States. With the signing of the Test Ban Treaty and the exchange of views with Secretary Rusk, there had developed a relaxation of tension and the prerequisite for the settlement of other questions had been established. This could lead to a real turning [Page 759] point, and the end of the cold war.” Dobrynin then noted “certain facts which did not fit in with the situation and these were the provocative actions against Cuba, which had increased in recent weeks. Unknown planes had shelled industrial establishments and there had been landings of saboteurs on the Cuban coast.” The United States had stated that it “had nothing to do with these actions, but no one could believe this.” If such attacks continued, it “could only lead to a new crisis.” The Soviet Union had “undertaken certain commitments in respect to the protection of the independence of Cuba” and “would certainly fulfill its commitments if aggression were unleashed against Cuba.” For text of the memorandum of conversation, see Foreign Relations, 1961–1963, volume XI, pages 861–862.
On September 13 Thompson met again with Dobrynin and made an oral statement in which President Kennedy stated categorically that “not only was the United States not involved in any way in such attacks, but has been making every effort to prevent them,” in keeping with its policy concerning hit and run attacks by Cuban exile groups. The statement then cited evidence of “Cubaʼs deliberate stimulation and support of subversive activities throughout the Hemisphere” and concluded that it was “not the United States, but the behavior of the Castro regime that is to blame for the difficulties in the Caribbean area.” For text, see ibid., pages 866–867.