Kennedy Statement On Cuba Awaited

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29984, 20 November 1962, Page 15

Kennedy Statement On Cuba Awaited

(A/.Z. Press Association— Copy rt gh t) WASHINGTON, November 19. President Kennedy was reported today to be preparing to announce that the Western Hemisphere cannot hope to live in peace with the Cuban Communist regime.

High Administration officials predicted that Mr Kennedy would make that evaluation of the Cuban crisis in an opening statement at his press conference tomorrow. United Press International reported. The President was expected to say that the menace of the Soviet Union's military power in the area had diminished.

They did not rule out, however, the possibility that if the Cuban Prime Minister (Dr. Castro) carried out his threat to shoot down United States surveillance planes, a new military confrontation, including armed reprisals, could take place. In spite of the Cuban threat, there was a mounting belief in Government circles that Moscow would agree to remove some 30 mediumrange jet bombers before Tuesday, thus completing the withdrawal of all its offensive weapons as demanded by Mr Kennedy. Officials appeared satisfied that all the ballistic missiles had been returned to the

Soviet Union and their launching bases dismantled.

If the bombers arc removed, the President is expected to ease or even end the nava! blockade of Cuba, which he ordered nearly four weks ago in a decisive step to eject the Soviet Union's military intrusion in the Western Hemisphere, even at the risk of a nuclear war. State Department sources described as “wild speculation" one London news report that Mr Khrushchev had proposed a package deal involving Cuba and Berlin and a nuclear test ban.

The United States Government is reported to be urgently analysing evidence that the 4000 to 5000 Soviet “technicians” still in Cuba have been formed into military units of company size. The Washington "Sunday Star” said President Kennedy would call on the Soviet Union to remove the military forces, together with all offensive weapons if it was firmly established that the Kremlin intended the units to remain in Cuba. Elements of the new Russian groups were said to be scattered through the island. At this stage it was not clear whether they would leave with the remaining offensive weapons. Officials said they could be grouping for departure. The "Washington Post” said a prime question in Washington was: “Are the Russian military men in Cuba just to help Castro, or to watch him?”

The "Washington Star” also said it was not clear just what type of units the Russians had now established in Cuba.

New Typhoid Case pital doctors today positively identified the ninth case of typhoid—a 47-year-old man—among 292 White Russian refugees who arrived from Hong Kong in two ships on October 31 and November 1. —Sydney. November 19.