126. UNITED STATES VIEWS REGARDING RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Statement Made by the U.S. Representative (Morrison) Before the Council of the OAS, November 22, 1961 (Excerpts) $6

The facts regarding recent developments in the Dominican Republic are well known to the members of this Council. They have been the subject matter of recent meetings of the Special Committee on the Dominican Republic to carry out the mandate given to the Council by Resolution I of the Sixth Meeting of Foreign Ministers. They have been given full and adequate publicity. With particular reference to the statements made by the United States in this connection, may I call attention to the following:

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87

1. On November 14, 1961, the Special Representative of the United States on the Special Committee presented a formal statement summarizing the reaction of my Government to the recently prepared report of the subcommittee of that Committee.88 Based upon our view that recognition should be given to "constructive efforts" that had been made by the Government of the Dominican Republic to remove the basis for the OAS action which was taken in August of 1960, my Government proposed withdrawal of the formal indication made by the Council on January 4, 1961,9° that it was "feasible and desirable" to extend suspension of trade with the Dominican Republic to petroleum and petroleum products and trucks and spare parts for trucks. An important consideration in this proposal was the fact that "key figures closely associated with the former regime" had departed, since it appeared important that leading figures closely associated with the former dictatorship should no longer be able to dominate the political and economic life of the Dominican Republic.

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2. Shortly after the meeting in which the above statement was made, and while the other members of the Committee were considering further the problems before it, two of the above-mentioned "leading figures," members of the Trujillo family, returned to the Dominican Republic from their brief sojourn abroad. As a result of this development, which clearly appeared a backward step, the United States representative recommended postponement of a decision regarding the date on which the Special Committee would vote on the above problem.92 This was accepted by the Committee.

3. On November 18, the Secretary of State issued the following

*Department of State press release No. 814 (text as printed in the Department of State Bulletin, Dec. 18, 1961, pp. 1000–1003).

See American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, pp. 260-262. Ante, doc. 124.

See American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, pp. 260–262.

90 See ibid., p. 270.

"See footnote 84 to doc. 125, supra.

See footnote 85 to doc. 125, supra.

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Supra.

748-787-65———27

4. As signs of political disintegration appeared, and the possibility of an even more dangerous situation increased, units of the U.S. Navy were stationed near the Dominican Republic on the high seas and constituted a friendly presence with the full knowledge of the constitutional authorities and responsible leaders of the Dominican Republic. 5. The stationing of these units of the U.S. Fleet on the high seas outside the territorial waters and outside the airspace of any sovereign government, in no way was or is an act of intervention violating the sovereignty or territorial integrity of a sovereign state, or contrary to any international obligations. There have been no flights by United States aircraft over Dominican territory as the delegate of Cuba charges.

The Dominican people in emerging from the tyranny of the Trujillo era have won an important initial victory. It is heartwarming to see their great happiness and jubilation as manifest in the wave of celebration going on throughout the Dominican Republic and participated in by all the democratic forces of the country. They have a right to be heartened by the fact that a military coup which was being planned and in the making did not succeed, and as they look forward to strengthening the freedom they have won they also have a right to claim the sympathy and support of the governments and peoples of the hemisphere in their own efforts to guard against other extremists who are already trying to impose on the Dominican Republic a new dictatorship a dictatorship as deadly as the Trujillos' to individual liberties and representative democracy.

"IT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED OBJECTIVELY THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAS CEASED TO CONSTITUTE A DANGER TO THE PEACE AND SECURITY OF AMERICA": Third Report of the Subcommittee of the Special Committee of the Council of the OAS Considering the Situation in the Dominican Republic, December 20, 1961 94

127. "I WANT TO MAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC": Statement by the President (Kennedy), Issued December 20, 1961 95

I want to make special note of the most encouraging developments in the Dominican Republic. The solution to the political difficulties in

OAS doc. OEA/Ser. G/VII/CE/RC.VI-27 (English) Rev. The members of the subcommittee were Representatives of Ecuador (chairman), Chile, Colombia, Panama, the United States, and Uruguay. The subcommittee spent the period Nov. 21-26 in the Dominican Republic.

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White House press release (Palm Beach, Fla.) dated Dec. 20, 1961 (text as printed in the Department of State Bulletin, Jan. 22, 1962, p. 128).

that country, the principal feature of which is the immediate creation of a council of state, was announced by President Balaguer on December 17 and has now been accepted by the principal elements of the democratic opposition. It represents, in my judgment, an impressive demonstration of statesmanship and responsibility by all concerned. This accomplishment by the democratic opposition and the Dominican Government is all the more remarkable when it is recalled that only recently the Dominican Republic emerged from three decades of a harshly repressive regime which dedicated itself to stifling every democratic Dominican voice. This victory of the Dominican people and its leaders is a striking demonstration of the fact that dictatorship can suppress but cannot destroy the aspirations of a people to live in freedom, dignity, and peace.

The Dominican people still face long and difficult efforts to transform their aspirations into an effective, soundly based democratic system. In this struggle, they have the assurance of our sympathetic and tangible support. I understand that the Organization of American States is now considering the lifting of the sanctions imposed upon the Dominican Republic by collective action in August 1960 and January 1961. If the Council of the OAS takes such action-and our representatives are supporting that step-we will resume diplomatic relations with the Dominican Republic promptly. When this takes place the Department of Agriculture will authorize purchases under the Dominican allocation of nonquota sugar for the first 6 months of 1962.

In addition, I propose to send, upon the installation of the new council of state, a United States economic assistance mission, headed by Ambassador Teodoro Moscoso of AID [Agency for International Development] and including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Milton Barall, to visit the Dominican Republic. Its purpose will be to explore emergency requirements and the possibilities for longer range cooperative programs under the Alliance for Progress, which can be of direct benefit to the Dominican people. I expect that this mission will arrive in the Dominican Republic late this month or very early in January.

I understand that Mr. Felipe Herrera, President of the Inter-American Development Bank, will head a high-level mission to the Dominican Republic in the near future to begin discussions and inquire into economic and social development projects.

These actions are intended to assist the new Dominican Government and people in developing a sound economic and social structure, which is indispensable to an enduring democratic political system.

The Dominican people and their leaders confront a great and seldom given opportunity: the construction of a democratic society on the ruins of tyranny. It is a noble task, but it is not an easy one. We wish them well, and we assure them of our desire to assist them in their efforts.

See American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, pp. 260-262 and 270.

"THE [SPECIAL] COMMITTEE SHARES THE CONCLUSIONS ARRIVED AT BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE IN ITS THIRD REPORT": Third Report of the Special Committee of the Council of the OAS Considering the Situation in the Dominican Republic, December 29, 1961 97

128. CANCELLATION OF DIPLOMATIC AND ECONOMIC SANCTIONS BY THE AMERICAN REPUBLICS AGAINST THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Resolution Ap proved by the Council of the OAS, January 4, 1962 95

THE COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

HAVING SEEN the Second and Third Reports of the Subcommittee of the Special Committee to carry out the mandate received by the Council pursuant to Resolution I of the Sixth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs 99 (OEA/Ser.G/VII/CE/RC.VI-101 and OEA/Ser.G/VII/CE/RC.VI-22)2 and the report on these documents presented by the Special Committee (OEA/Ser.G/IV/C-i-557, Rev. 3);3

CONSIDERING that the Government of the Dominican Republic is no longer a danger to the peace and security of the Hemisphere; and

As a consequence thereof and in accordance with the power granted to it in paragraph 2 of the operative part of Resolution I,

RESOLVES:

1. To cancel the measures agreed upon by the Sixth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in letters a. and b. of paragraph 1 of the operative part of Resolution I (OEA/Ser.C/II.6) and those agreed upon by the Council of the Organization of American States in its resolution of January 4, 1961 (OEA/Ser.G/IV/ C-i-497, Rev.).*

2. To request the Secretary General of the Organization of American States to transmit the text of this resolution to the Security Council of the United Nations.

UNITED STATES RESUMPTION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 6, 1962: Announcement Issued by the Department of State, January 6, 1962 5

"OAS doc. OEA/Ser.G/IV/C-i-557 (English) Rev. 4.

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OAS doc. OEA/Ser.G/III/C-sa-431 (2).

Text in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, pp. 260–262. 'Cited as an unnumbered title, ante, p. 331.

2 Cited as an unnumbered title, ante, p. 336.

3 Cited as an unnumbered title, supra.

'Text in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, p. 270.

Department of State press release No. 13; the Department of State Bulletin, Jan. 22, 1962, p. 129.

PANAMA

UNITED STATES COOPERATION IN THE FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF PANAMA: Joint Statement Issued at Washington by a Special Panamanian Economic Mission and U.S. Government Officials, October 8, 1961 6

129. UNITED STATES "COMPLETE RE-EXAMINATION OF CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS WITH RESPECT TO ISTHMIAN CANAL FACILITIES”: Letter From the President of the United States (Kennedy) to the President of the Republic of Panama (Chiari), November 2, 1961

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I have read with great interest your letter of September 8, 1961 which your brother delivered to me on September 15th. I am also very pleased to have had a personal conversation with your brother at that time.

I agree with you that an unusual community of interests exists between the Republic of Panama and the United States. Our respective Governments and peoples have been closely associated since the very beginning of your nation. The Panama Canal has been an important element in the development and growth of the relationship between our two countries, and has also contributed to the bonds of unity which link all the American Republics.

The Government of the United States hopes to maintain and strengthen the relations between our two nations on the basis of mutual respect and sincere friendship. I feel sure that the Government of Panama shares this objective.

Once again, on behalf of the Government of the United States, I reaffirm our willingness to cooperate wholeheartedly with the Government of Panama to insure the full enjoyment of the various benefits which the Canal should afford to the two nations that made possible its construction. We also wish to make these benefits available to all nations interested in international trade.

As I pointed out to your brother on September 15, I realize that the historic friendship and cooperation between our two countries has sometimes been marred by differences concerning the interpretation of the rights granted to the United States by the Republic of Panama.” In past years, these problems have been resolved in various wayssometimes through formal treaty negotiations and sometimes through

'Department of State press release No. 693, Oct. 7, 1961; the Department of State Bulletin, Oct. 30, 1961, pp. 728-730.

T

White House press release dated Nov. 15, 1961 (text as printed in the Department of State Bulletin, Dec. 4, 1961, pp. 932-933).

*Not printed.

'See the convention of Nov. 18, 1903 (Treaty Series 431; 33 Stat. 2234), and the agreements of Mar. 2, 1936 (Treaty Series 945; 53 Stat. 1807) and Jan. 25, 1955 (TIAS 3297; 6 UST 2273).