Concessions by U.S.

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33514, 20 April 1974, Page 8

Concessions by U.S.

I x L P A -Rruter—Copyright 1 ATLANTA (Georgia). April 19The Organisation of American States opens its General Assembly in Atlanta today after two concessions by the t nited States in its attitude to Cuba. The State Department has lifted its ban on the sale of cars and lorries to Cuba by Ameri can- owned com pan ies in Argentina; and the Secretary of State (Dr Henry Kissinger) has agreed to a round of consultations among Latin American and ; Caribbean countries on the issue of whether Cuba should be invited to the next round of talks by Western hemisphere Foreign Ministers next March.

United States officials say that the lifting of the ban on cars and buses, which has been requested for months' by Argentina, is a gesture of assistance to the companies which are under duress. Usually reliable sources say that Dr Kissinger’s agreement to consultations about an invitation to Cuba do not threaten America’s, hard-line position since most Latin American countries ! are likely to support Wash- j ington.

The announcement of the two moves came at the end of two days of talk< in Atlanta between the Secretarv of State and 24 Foreign Ministers as part of hs “new dialogue with La; n America. No substantial developments emerged from tl-? meetings and the emphasis was on frank, off-the-record exchanges aimed at imprm - ing relations which has ? for years been marred bv Latin American accusations that the United States ignores her neighbours.