Evening star., 1963-02-09
Kennedy Set to Prod
Khrushchev on Cuba
Envoy Set
To Fly Back
ToMoscow
BY the Associated Press

conferred with President Ken
nedy and Secretary of State
Rusk today in preparation for
his return to Moscow, where
he may take up the continued
presence OF Russian military
forces in Cuba.
The meeting followed a re-
port last night that Mr.. Ken
nedy told a Latin American
diplomat two days ago he
hoped the problem of Soviet
troops in Cuba would be solved
by the time he leaves for Costa
Rica in mid-March.
High officials, asked about
this. said today that Mr.. Ken
nedy had not set any deadline
for a showdown on the issue.
They said he still hopes Soviet
Premier Nikita Khrushchev
will fulfill his promise to re-
move the troops.
Mr.. Kohler went into the
Presidents office shortly before
IL am. for a conference, which
was not on the previously an
nounced schedule. Mr.. Rusk ar
rived a few minutes later for a
scheduled ii am. talk with the
President. and the three men
met together. White House of
ficials reported.
Ready TO Leave
State Department intormants
said Mr.. Kohler would be re-
turning to his post in the Soviet
capital this week end.
He arrived in Washington for
consultation 10 days ago. He
said at the time he believed Mr..
Khrushchev would like to reach
some accommodation with the
United States, perhaps on a nu-
clear weapons test-ban treaty.
The atmosphere Is a little less
hopeful now than 1t was at the
time Mr.. Kohler talked with
reporters in New York on his
way to Washington.
Nuclear test-ban discussions
in New York among the United
States. Russia and Britain have
been broken off by the Rus
SLAMS. pending general disarma-
ment talks at Geneva. And the
presence Of an estimated II, 900
Russian troops and military
techniciaans In Cuba has be-
come an increasing irritant in
United States-Soviet relations.
President Kennedy told his
news conference this week that
he has seen a report that Mr..
Khrushchev has said he would
get the troops out OF Cuba in
due course"
Timing a .ctor
Mr.. Kennp< now wants TO
find out whGC timing Mr.. Khru-
shchev has in mind and to press
for the fastest possible removal.
He is considering sending a
letter on the subject to Mr..
Khrushchev
Mr.. Kohler's return provides
an opportunity for delivery of
a formal message or for a re-
port to Mr.. Khrushchev infor-
mally. Of Mr.. Kennedy's views
in the growing wave of antag-
onism In the United States TO
the continued stationing Of
Soviet forces In Cuba.
Mr.. Khrushchev was quoted
In Moscow today as having told
newspaper magnate Roy Thom-
son that the Soviet troops are
In Cuba only TO instruct Cubans
In advanced weapons. He was
reported TO have said in an
interview that there need be no
concern about a Russian arms
buildup.
United States diplomatic
sources said yesterday that Mr..
Kennedy expressed his rope
for removal of the forces BY
mid-March during a White
House meeting Thursday with
Costa Rica's Foreign Minister
Daniel Oduber.
However. the sources en-
phasized that Mr.. Kennedy did
not specify or predict a dead
line after which some action
might be taken.
Cuba Chief Topic
United States and Latin
American diplomats discounted
one report which quoted the
President as telling an uni
Identified Latin American dip
lomat on Thursday that he is
confident Soviet troops will be
off the island by March and
that II they are not he plans
concerted action with other
hemisphere nations.
High United. States sources
See CUBA. Page Az