Evening star., 1962-12-13
Khrushchev on Cuba

In his speech to the Supreme Soviet
(the Kremlin's rubber-stamp parlia-
ment), Premier Khrushchev has taken
moderate line on the Cuban crisis. In
deed, he has presented himself as
leader working so hard against war that
one might almost suppose that he is
running as candidate for the Nobel
Peace Prize.
At any rate, he has hit hard at those
comrades deS"-meaning particularly the
Chinese CommuniSts-who have accused
him Of having "capitulated to imperial
ism" in his Cuban negotiations Thus, as
he has put it, During the peaceful ad-
juStment of the conflict in the Carib-
bean, shrill voices of discomfort" could
be heard from people who "call them
selves MarxiStS-Leninists, even though
their actions have nothing in common
with MarxiSm- -LeniniSm. d.. In what
way have we retreated, one may ask. =. .
The Government of the United States
has given pledge not to invade Cuba.
The threat Of thermonuclear war has
been averted. Is this retreat?" And he
has gone on to add that the real winners
in the situation have been sanity and
the cause of peace" not Washington or
Moscow.
There can be little doubt, of course,
that Mr.. KhruShchev has been on the
defensive in the Communist world ever
since his decision to satisfy President
Kennedy'S demand that RuSSia'S nuclear
missiles and bombers be pulled out of
Cuba-or else. So it is understandable
that he has sought to present himself
to the Supreme Soviet as great peace
maker who is determined, nevertheless,
to hold the United States to its pledge"
against Cuban invasion. That pledge"
he has said, must be kept or I'VE will be
compelled to take such action as the
situation requires" These words, it may
be assumed, are for home consumption.
At any rate, as Mr.. Kennedy indicated at
his news conference yesterday, the Pre-
mier undoubtedly knows that our coun-
try has done no pledging, and will not
do so unless or until two basic conditions
are met: Q) On-Site inspection to verify
the removal of all offensive weapons and
(2) the establishment of lasting safe
guards" against the reintroduction of
such weapons to CaStroS Kremlin-serv-
ing Satrapy. AS to that, the President
has pointedly recalled what he said a
fortnight ago:
-. If the Western Hemisphere is to
continue to be protected this Government
has no choice but to pursue its own means
OF checking on military activities in Cuba
-. I repeat, we would like nothing better
than adequate international arrangements
for the task Of inspection and verification in
Cuba. Until that Is DONE difficult prob
lens remain. As for our own part, II all
offensive weapons systems are removed from
Cuba and kept out of the hemisphere in the
future, under adequate verification and safe
guards and if Cuba is not used for the export
OF aggressive Communist purposes, there will
be peace in the Caribbean. And as I said in
September, we shall neither initiate nor per-
NIT aggression in this hemisphere"
This is statement loaded with "ifs"
OF the most meaningful kind Actually,
as long as the uncertainties remain,
there will be no pledge" no guarantee,
against United States invasion of Cas-
tro's Cuba. Mr. Khrushchev, despite his
latest talk to the contrary, must be well
aware Of that fact If not, then he is
living in dangerous dream world.