COMMENT ON 23 OCTOBER SOVIET GOVERNMENT STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S SPEECH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00428A000200030026-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 8, 2005
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: October 23, 1962
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release?Sff
0428A000200030026-5
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OCI No. 3555/62
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
23 October 1962
SUBJECT: Comment on 23 October Soviet Government
Statement on President Kennedy's Speech
1. Moscow's initial reaction to President Kennedy's
speech reflects the Soviet leaders' concern to avoid any
appearance of acquiescing 'o the measures announced by the
President but, at the same time, to stay clear of commit-
ments to specific Soviet c ;untermeasures.
2. The Soviet statemea t of 23 October, warning that
the US is "recklessly playiLl; with fire," appears to be
primarily a holding action ?t. med at placing the US on the
defensive and generating word wide opposition to US
policy in the Cuban crisis. The statement evaded the
central question of the presence of Soviet strategic
missiles in Cuba and reaffirms-'d Moscow's 11 September
contention that military equipment being sent to Cuba is
"designed exclusively for defensive purposes." It sought
to play down the USSR's role in the crisis by portraying
the issue as one between Cuba and the US.
3. Although the statement denounced the US quaran-
tine measures and denied Washington's right to inspect
foreign vessels on the open seas, it avoided any hints
of Soviet reaction. The statement also implied that the
USSR will seek to circumvent the US demand for prompt
dismantling and withdrawal of all offensive weapons by
contending that all weapons in Cuba are defensive and
are under Cuban ownership. The statement said, "The US
is demanding that military equipment Cuba needs for self-
defense be removed from Cuban territory, a demand which
naturally no state which values its independence can
meet."
4. As in the 11 September statement, Moscow again
attempted to justify its military presence in Cuba by
pointing to the deployment of US forces and armaments
throughout the world and to US rejection of Soviet pro-
posals for withdrawal of all foreign forces Dh0QHIT ib.ien
territories. NO CHANGE U CLASS. o
[ CLASSIFIED 25X1
I T: TS S C
Approved For Release 2005/06/01 CIA-RDP79T00428A4CM `e~~
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L RUTH: HR 70.2
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