Telegram from Swiss Foreign Ministry to Swiss Embassy in Havana (Stadelhofer)

p.B.73.Cuba.O.U’Ch. - PO

Original to: [Handwritten:] 155

Copy also to: [Handwritten:] 113, 152

Telegram no. 49

23.10.1962 09h10

Embassy of Switzerland

Havana

FLASH To Ambassador [Emil A.] Stadelhofer. – Top Secret

Following the briefing of the neutral and neutralistic ambassadors on Cuba-mission on Monday night, the American Secretary of State took [Swiss] Ambassador [August] Lindt aside and told him – in a very serious manner – approximately the following:

“I am talking to you on a purely personal basis, and what I say should not be associated with my name. The situation is so serious that your country could also become affected. Would it not be possible that your ambassador in Havana ask Castro on his own initiative and denying any instruction on my part how he pictured Cuba’s future. Because it is Cuba that would suffer first from possible developments. Could he not remind him of the speech Kennedy gave, whereby the US could negotiate about anything with Cuba, provided that Cuba is not allied with the Soviet Union and that is does not accommodate Soviet bases on its soil? Think about it.” Lindt remained completely noncommittal. He was under the impression that the Secretary of State considers negotiations with an independent communist Cuba possible and [that it] even wishes, insofar as Castro is still able, to break away from Russia.

Forwarding you this suggestion with considerable reservation. We absolutely want to avoid the impression of an inappropriate and hasty demarche that could lead to misunderstandings. But believe that we cannot keep Secretary of State Rusk’s thoughts from you just in case. In our opinion, you should not take a conspicuous initiative to strike up such a conversation. If, however, the opportunity should arise to do so without causing a sensation, or if Castro, which cannot be ruled out completely, possibly brought up problems pertaining to the future by himself, you could, insofar as the atmosphere seems appropriate to you, personally and without any reference to Bern or Washington, drop remarks along these lines.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Copy to: - Mr. Minister Burckhardt

- Mr. Minister Bindschedler

(cleaned up version after discussion with the department chair)

A. 2453