Page:Ford, Kissinger - August 15, 1974(Gerald Ford Library)(1552750).pdf/3

 There is a Security Council meeting today. We will try to avoid a condemnation. The French are with us. We got a little heat from the but things will look good in four weeks.

The Greeks liked our letter and want to publish it. It will annoy the Turks a bit, but they understand. Turkey thinks we are the only ones who understand.

The Turks are not moving well in the West. The Greeks have asked the Brits for cover. They are stalling.

We need to talk about Cuba.

I noticed Panama attempting to rustle up support. It was turned down by Colombia.

Yes. But that won't hold. Brazil is our only ally.

Do you have any suggestions for a Cuban policy change?

There have been many appeals from Cuba. Castro wants to meet with me.

The Latin American Foreign Ministers are meeting in Buenos Aires next March. If we don't violently oppose it, a consensus would probably develop to let the Cuban delegates come. They may quiet it. Or I could say we won't be ready by March, but would discuss it then.

We have to loosen up or we isolate ourselves. But not high visibility like a Castro meeting; that would be a drastic policy change.

What would we get out of it?

We would move grudgingly and hint of a change. We should work closely with Brazil. We should treat Cuba low-key as just another country.

Would we give back the sugar quota?

Yes, but we shouldn't do it. The issue is the trade embargo. We can lift it slowly or be blackmailed through U.S. subsidiaries. We don't have to move for three months.