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October 28, 1962

Telegram from Yugoslav Embassy in Rio (Barišić) to Yugoslav Foreign Ministry

This document was made possible with support from Leon Levy Foundation

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FPRY

Sending: Rio de Janeiro

Received: 29.X 62 at 07.00

No. 405

Taken into process:

Date: 28.X 1962

Completed: 29.X 62. at 08.15

Telegram

VERY URGENT

 

To the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 

This evening we received [Brazilian] President [João] Goulart’s reply:

 

To Comrade Koca.

 

The text of this reply translated into Serbo-Croat:

 

“Dear President [Tito],

 

I have received with great pleasure your message of the 26th of this month concerning the ‘critical situation which ha been developing about Cuba.’

 

I was already acquainted with the statement of your Government in which you have invited the ‘countries in conflict to access direct negotiations in conformity with the principles of the UN.’

 

Your sublime intentions, that through direct talks and diplomatic means with their appropriate instruments in the UN, you search for solutions to the crisis that worries us so much, are in full consent with the intentions of my Government and with the peaceful traditions of the Brazilian people.

 

Like [Your] Excellency, we, in Brazil too, receive with encouragement and hope the first results of the already made efforts in the UN and the constructive support of the acting Secretary-General U Thant with the aims to reduce tensions in direct talks.

 

The possibility to find an adequate solution would increase to the extent to which formulas of the guarantees were found leading to the immediate suspension of the quarantine, followed by the corresponding suspension of the weapons delivery to Cuba and stipulations of the commitments for preventing the spreading of nuclear weapons and installation of the bases for their deployment.

 

My opinion is that the danger of a destructive war, the threat which was always opposed by the feelings of Brazilian people, would significantly increase. Worries of Brazil about its own future would grow with the installation of such bases in Cuba or any other part of Latin America, no matter [whether] their use could be put in the service of other powers.

 

As it has been well emphasized by [Your] Excellency, such a useful and opportune effort for peace will not be considered complete if it is paralyzed or not continued with the appropriate actions of the Security Council. In that case I have no doubts that everything should be done in order to ask the General Assembly to make the decision.

 

Following these suggestions that could be the matter of understanding and consideration in the UN, at this moment I want to draw your attention to the proposal brought by Brazil and other countries in 1961 and renewed now about the “deatomization” [denuclearization] of Latin America and Africa. Apart from its help to the solution of the particular crisis which worries us, generalizing the right of inspection, it represents a great step to the reduction of the world tension.

 

At the same time I want to confirm [to Your] Excellency that my Government is ready to participate in taking steps at the Governments in Washington, Havana, and Moscow with the aim of finding a constructive solution that could provide keeping the right and self-determination of the Cuban people and the reduction of armament to the defensive level excluding the possibility of repeating any military threat. In that case, Brazil had the opportunity in earlier times to propose measures which would implement a special status for Cuba through negotiations, so these proposals could be renewed.

 

Having this in mind, [Your] Excellency may be convinced that cooperation of Brazil in the limits of possibility will not be left out.

 

I repeat assurances of my personal satisfaction because our mutual aims on peace-keeping are the same and I hope that the ideals of agreement and peace-loving co-existence among nations will be strengthened so as to prevent humanity from suffering from the catastrophe of nuclear war.

 

Accept, [Your] Excellency, the assurances of my highest considerations.

 

Joao Goulart”

 

 

Barišić is forwarding a message from Brazilian President João Goulart to Yugoslavian President Tito. The body of the message contains his thoughts on both Brazil and Yugoslavia's involvement in the Cuban Missile Crisis and also his hopes that negotiations can reach a settlement that will both retain Cuba's right to self-determination and also proceed with the denuclearization efforts of Latin America.



Related Documents

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October 27, 1962

Telegram from Yugoslav Embassy in Rio de Janeiro (Barišić) to Yugoslav Foreign Ministry

A telegram from the Yugoslav Embassy in Rio de Janeiro to the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry about a meeting with Brazilian President João Goulart. Barišić says Goulart considers that everything must be done to prevent the beginning of war, because war would bring unpredictable catastrophe and it would be hard to extinguish it if war operations start. Goulart also shares his opinion that negotiations are necessary, and that Cuba must be prevented from becoming an atomic base for it could be the constant cause of war dangers.

November 3, 1962

Telegram from Yugoslav Foreign Ministry to Yugoslav Embassies in Washington, Havana, Mexico, Caracas, and LaPaz, and Missions in Santiago de Chile, Montevideo, and New York City (United Nations)

A message from the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry (originally, the embassy in Rio), saying that they are extremely satisfied with Tito’s message which contributed to Brazilian President João Goulart’s decisiveness on Cuban crisis.

October 29, 1962

Telegram from Yugoslav Foreign Ministry to Yugoslav Embassies in Havana and Washington and Yugoslav Mission to the United Nations

Brazilian President João Goulart emphasizes that the possibility of an adequate solution (to the Cuban Missile Crisis) could be increased if there were measures to suspend the quarantine (blockade) immediately, followed by corresponding and effective stoppage of weapons shipment to Cuba as well as determining obligations to prevent the spreading of nuclear weapons and the installation of bases. In his opinion the danger of war could increase significantly and worries of Brazil would grow as far as its own security was concerned, if such bases were installed in Cuba or any other part of LA. He also brought to the attention the proposal of Brazil in the UN for the denuclearization of Latin America.

Document Information

Source

Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (AMIP), Belgrade, Serbia, PA (Confidential Archive) 1962, Kuba, folder F-67. Obtained by Svetozar Rajak and Ljubomir Dimić and translated by Radina Vučetić-Mladenović.

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Original Uploaded Date

2012-09-28

Type

Telegram

Language

Record ID

115466

Donors

Leon Levy Foundation