MEMORANDUM TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE [AND OTHERS] FROM MCGEORGE BUNDY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000100120030-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 14, 2003
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: January 11, 1963
• Content Type: MEMO

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NSC REVIEW
COMPLETED,
06/26/2003
MEMORANDUM TO
January 11, 1963
THE WHITE HOUSE
The Secretary of State
The Secretary of Defense
The Attorney General
lei
A number of departments and agencies have
requested information as to the full position
of the Executive Branch with respect to the
recent Cuban prisoner exchange. The attached
memorandum has been approved for guidance
in this connection, and it is requested that all
inquiries and mail be answered promptly in
accordance with this instruction.
1L.p,.y
McGeorge Bundy
Enclosure
2-page memorandum--For Official Use Only
Information copy to:
Director of Central Intelligence /~Y
The Secretary of Agriculture
The Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
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WASHINGTON
FOR. OFFICIAL, USE ONLY
January 11, 1963
The Position of the Executive Branch
on the Recent Cuban Prisoner Exchange
(Information guidance for use in response to inquiries)
1. The position of the U. S. Government toward the prisoner
exchange has been fully and currently reported in the press, except
during the period in which there was a hazard that publicity might
endanger the safety of the prisoners. Attention can be called to
the extensive and generally accurate reports printed immediately
after the exchange in the Washington Evening Star of December 24th,
the Washington Post of December 25, and the New York Times News
Service of December 26th.
2. The basic responsibility for negotiations and for the
exchange as a whole was private, resting in the Cuban Families
Committee, the citizens' committee under General Clay, and
Mr. James B. Donovan, lawyer for the Cuban Families Committee.
3. The President of the United States made clear that he
was sympathetic to the efforts of these committees. An example of
the President's position is to be found in his press conference
statement of Wednesday, December 12th, in which he said that this
matter "is being handled by a private committee composed of the
families of the prisoners, and a committee of which General Lucius
Clay and others are members, and I am very sympathetic to their
efforts. "
4. In support of this position, the United States Government
took the following actions:
a. It provided prompt advice in connection with tax
rulings and other applications of government statutes and regulations.
b. It made clear to those who might be able to help the
sympathetic interest of the Executive Branch.
c. It provided the time and energy of a number of officials
in the course of the intense negotiations which preceded the successful
exchange.
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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY -2- January 11, 1963
4. (cont'd)
d. It authorized a commitment of dried milk from the
surplus stocks of the Department of Agriculture in the terms described
in paragraph 7 below.
5. It should be emphasized that there were a number of things
which the Government did not do, as follows:
a. No Government funds were used in the project, save
for minor administrative costs such as telephones and some salary
and overtime expense.. Even these costs may be largely recovered.
b. No unvouchered funds have been used at any time.
c. No tax rulings were issued to contributing companies
which were not clearly authorized or required by law or governing
court decisions.
6. Almost all the products pledged are items that are currently
permitted to be shipped from the United States to Cuba under general
licenses -- i. e. , without individual validated licenses -- under existing
export control regulations. Some items involved in the prisoner exchange
do require individual licenses -- chiefly foodstuffs, medicinals, pesticides
for household and agricultural purposes, and medical equipment, which
would help to fill an evident need of the Cuban people, but not otherwise.
aid the Cuban economy. However, offers of insecticides valued at
approximately $2 million and suitable for use on sugar crops -- Cuba's
primary export commodity -- have been rejected even though Cuba
does not use insecticides on its sugar crops.
7. The United States Government has provided five million
pounds of non-fat dried milk solids through the American Red Cross.
Representatives of the American Red Cross and the Cuban Red Cross
will supervise distribution of the milk in Cuba to insure that it will
reach children and other needy persons. The Red Cross has indicated
that the Cuban Families Committee expects to raise funds to reimburse
the Department. Further supplies of dried milk may be requested by
the American Red Cross if baby food cannot be obtained from other
sources, and the Department of Agriculture is prepared to make
additional quantities available on such request. The terms of the
Department's action were described in a USDA release on January 8,
1963, which can be used in responding to inquiries.
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(CLASSIFICATION)
EXECUTIVE MEMORANDUM
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
DEPUTY DIRECTOR (PLANS)
DEPUTY DIRECTOR (INTELLIGENCE)
DEPUTY DIRECTOR (RESEARCH)
ExDir: LBK: drm
Distribution:
Addressees listed above
1 - ER
1 - ExDir
This memorandum contains information for the addressees. Ad-
dressees may give this memorandum additional circulation within
their components as required. All copies should be destroyed not
filed, upon completion of circulation. A master file will be kept in
the Executive Director's Office and will be available upon request.
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