Message de Harold MacMillan à John Diefenbaker

Stamped: “Seen by John G. Diefenbaker”

31st October, 1962

Confidential

My dear [name illegible]

As the High Commissioner is at present away from Ottawa I have been asked to forward the enclosed message, dated 30th October but received here this morning, from the Rt. Hon. Harold Macmillan to the Rt. Hon. John G. Diefenbaker about the situation in Cuba. I would be grateful if you could arrange for this to be given to your Prime Minister.

Yours ever,

Bill Greenhill

(B.J. Greenhill)

O.W. Dier, Esq.,

Prime Minister’s Office,

Ottawa

Confidential

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Message from the Rt. Hon. Harold MacMillan, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to the Right Hon. John Diefenbaker, Prime Minister of Canada

30th October, 1962

Thank you so much for your message of yesterday’s date about Cuba. I am glad to know that we are of one mind on this issue.

I know you share our relief that American firmness has induced Khrushchev to undertake under United Nations verification the dismantling of missile bases in Cuba.

If we can surmount the immediate problem I hope we can look forward to progress on wider issues such as disarmament. But any forward step would clearly have to be based on verification under United Nations auspices. The proof of Russian duplicity furnished by events in Cuba makes it to my mind inevitable that verification and inspection by teams in whom the free world can have confidence will be essential before we can accept any further Sino-Soviet undertakings.

It is still far from clear what the Russian motives may have been in taking this dangerous and provocative step in Cuba and we cannot tell what they may have in mind for the future, but at least I hope they have learnt that the free world will respond with firmness to threats that disturb the peace.

We shall, of course, continue to keep in touch with you and should welcome any thoughts you may have as developments unfold.

Earnscliffe,

Ottawa.

31st October, 1962

Confidential