Cuba Seeking Better Neighbourly Relations

Press, Volume C, Issue 29602, 26 August 1961, Page 11

Cuba Seeking Better Neighbourly Relations

(Specially written for the NJZ.P.A. by FRANK OUVtR) WASHINGTON, August 21. Fhe declaration of Punta del Este, whereby the Latin* American nations stated their intention to carry out an orderly economic revolution with major aid from the United States, has been followed by other developments regarded here as interesting and significant. One is regarded with a degree of suspicion, the next with pleasure and the third with suspicion and a touch of alarm.

They are:— A new foreign policy tack by Cuba, as a result of which she seeks better relations with Latin America generally and perhaps a reconciliation with the United States. Suggestions that if new Canadian elections put the Liberal Party under Mr Lester Pearson back in power, Canada might join the Organisation of American States. The emergence of Cheddi .lagan’s party as the ruling party in British Guiana and the possibility of a Communist state emerging there when independence is granted. Guevara’s Success When the Punta Del Este conference opened it was freely reported that Dr. Fidel Castro’s right-hand man and chief delegate, Major Ernesto Guevara, was going to try to wreck the conference. He did nothing of the kind, but sought to get as much political capital out of it as possible and achieved a certain success. It is true that for the first time a hemispheric conference in the Americas heard a man (Guevara) expound the principles of socialism and planned economy. He was listened to carefully and the 20 other nations agreed that the alliance for progress “is founded on the principle that free men working through the institutions of representative democracy can best satisfy man’s desires.” But Major Guevara did achieve some success in other ways. He was able to prevent the conference punishing Cuba for her links with the Communist world. Talked With Leaders After the alliance conference ended he made visits to other Latin American States and talked with various Latin leaders and as one report said, tried with conciliatory smiles and “relatively sweet reasonableness” to indicate that Cuba seeks sisterly co-existence with the rest of Latin America. Then reports began to reach Washington that Major Guevara left many Latin leaders with the impression

that Cuba would like a reconciliation with the United States because of internal economic distress in Cuba.

Major Guevara also took some trouble in Latin America to dispel the idea that Cuba is an appendage of the Communist world. Reports say that he was listened to with interest and went a good distance towards convincing a number of Latin American statesmen that Dr. Castro is somewhat nearer the ideals on which his revolution was founded and on which it succeeded than he is to Russian or Chinese communism. All this represented a distinct change of policy, for it is not so long ago that Dr. Castro was denouncing various Latin American countries as puppe’s or “stooges’’ of the United States. Reasons Sought Washington is looking for reasons for these changes in Cuban policy. It is known that there is considerable economic distress in Cuba. Trade with Russia and China is proving no substitute for the advantageous arrangements Cuba used to enjoy in commerce with the United States. Havana’s Treasury is far from “flush” and there are reported to be shortages in various areas of the island’s economy. It is now some time since Dr. Castro made one of his marathon speeches urging the peoples of other LatinAmerican States to rise in revolutions similar to that which placed him in power. He seems to be seeking more friendly relations with all countries in this hemisphere. the United. States not excepted. Major Guevara is reported to have succeeded in some degree at Punta del Este and afterwards on visits to Brazil and Argentina. Washington View It is suggested in Washington that Dr. Castro's Government is now anxious to make itself more acceptable to Latin-America as a whole, and the “New York Times" says there seems reason to believe that Cuba’s new tack has thg blessing of the Russians. It is reported that Cuba

is anxious to prove she is not as bad as she has been painted and that the regime is here to stay and it would be better to have one friendly family throughout Latin America. The "New York Times” reports that it was to President Frondizi of Argentina in particular that Guevara made it plain that Cuba would like a reconciliation with the United States for economic reasons.

Press reports say that Cuba’s efforts in this direction will continue to meet a very hard attitude here. Canada and O.A.S.

For some time now there have been suggestions filtering down from Canada that although Mr John Diefenbaker and his party are against Canada joining the 0.A.5., the Liberal Party of Mr Pearson felt otherwise and that if and when the Liberals came to power something might well be done about it. These suggestions give only pleasure here, because this country feels Canada would bring strength to the organisation. There are now reports that if Britain joins the Common Market many Canadians, including even some of Mr Diefenbaker's supporters, might look more favourably on joining the 21 American Republics in the O.AB. The emergence of Mr Oheddi Jagan as the most powerful politician in British Guiana has been disturbing some members of Congress. who foresee the establishment of a second Communist Government in this hemisphere when British Guiana secures its inde-; pendence. The State Department is also far from happy about the prospects. "Wait And See” However, the* Washington “Post” takes a somewhat different view and urges a wait-and-see policy. About Dr. Jagan it says it is usually wise to expect the worst and hope for the best and this seems applicable to events in British Guiana. , It holds little brief for Dr. Jagan but adds that “this country cannot have it both ways: in arguing for free elections in Cuba it cannot seem to oppose the same principle when it works against our interest.” It chides Congress, saying that shrill speeches in Congress can hardly ameliorate the situation or the problems that may face the United States in connexion with British Guiana, and adds that the oppressive gloom in the State Department seems premature.