On 4 the Secretary-General sub- and to the fundamental principles of the United mitted to the Security Council his report 311/ on the Nations Charter. implementation of Security Council resolutions S/4387 The request for a meeting of the Security Council of 14 , S/4741 of 21 and was based on Articles 52 (5), 103, 24, 34, 35 (1) and S/5002 of 24 .312, 36 of the Charter and rule 3 of the provisional rules On 17 the Secretary-General sub- of procedure of the Security Council. mitted to the Security Council his report on the At the 874th meeting on 18 July 1960, the Council question of military disengagement in the Congo.&!?/ decided% to include the question in its agenda, It was considered by the Council at its 874th to 876th On 29 the Secretary-General submitted meetings held between 18 and 19 July 1960. The to the Security Council his report on the withdrawal President (Ecuador) invited, without objection, the of the Force in the Congo and on other representative of to participate in the dis- aspects of the United Nations Operations there.%/ cussion.317/

COMPLAINT BY CUBA (LETTER OF 11 JULY 1960) Decision of 19 July 1960 (876th meeting): INITIAL PROCEEDINGS 0i Deciding to adjourn consideration of the ques- tion pending the receipt of a report from the By letter 315/ dated 11 July 1960 addressed to the Organization of American States; President of the Security Council, the Minister for (ii) Inviting members of that Organization to lend Foreign Affairs of Cuba stated that a grave situation their assistance toward the achievement of a existed with manifest danger to international peace peaceful solution of the situation; and security, as a consequence of the repeated threats, (iii) Urging all other States to refrain from any reprisals and aggressive acts carried out against action which might increase tensions between Cuba by the Government of the . The Cuba and the United States situation had taken concrete shape from the moment the Revolutionary Government, exercising its sove- At the 874th meeting on 18 July 1960; the President reignty, had adopted measures designed to safeguard called attention to a Ietter318/ dated 15 July l‘$SO the national resources and to raise the standard of from the representative of the United States to the living, health and education of the Cuban people. President of the Council, transmitting a memo- In spite of the Cuban Government% repeated expres- randum on “Provocative Actions of the Government sions of willingness to live in peace and harmony of Cuba Against the United States Which Have Served with the United States and to broaden, on a basis of to Increase Tensions in the Caribbean Area”, which equality, mutual respect and reciprocal benefit, diplo- had been previously submitted to the Inter-American matic and economic relations with the Government Peace Committee of the Organization of American and people of the United States, such proposals had States. The memorandum noted that, for the past been of no avail. Instead, the United States had several months, the Government of Cuba had con- offered protection to known Cuban war criminals, ducted an intensive campaign of distortions, half- and provided facilities to counter-revolutionaries truths and outright falsehoods against the United to plot conspiracies and to prepare invasion plans. States and that, in spite of patience and forbearance Cuban airspace had been frequently violated with on the part of the latter, Cuba continued to intensify considerable material damage and loss of life by its hostility towards that country, thus increasing aircraft proceeding from United States territory and tensions in the area. With regard to Cuban charges, piloted, in some instances, by United States pilots. which were said to lack substantiation either by . Also, threats of economic strangulation had been evidence or facts, the memorandum cited among other levelled against Cuba through such acts as the nprovocativew actions the La Coubre incident, regard- refusal of oil companies to refine crude oil owned ing which the Government of Cuba, after charging by the Cuban State in violation of the Mineral Fuel that the explosion on board the vessel La Coubre Oil Act of 1938, and the extraordinary decision of the was the responsibility of the United States, admitted President of the United States to reduce the sugar that it had no conclusive evidence. Attached to the quota. Such actions, concluded the letter, constituted memorandum were several documents to substantiate intervention in Cuba’ s domestic affairs and economic the United States contention that the Cuban Govern- aggression contrary to the terms of relevant treaties merit’ s systematic and provocative campaign of slander and hostile propaganda against the United States 3L1/ S/S240 and Add.1, O.R, 18th year, SuppL for Jan.-hlarch 1963, was a major contribution to increased tensions in pp. 92-i& supplemented Sy S/5240/Add2, O.R., 18th year, SuppL the Caribbean and the hemisphere as a whole. for April-Jur,e 1963, pp. l-13. 312/ For the report of the Offxer-in-Charge of the United Kations In his initial statement before the Council at the Operaaon in the Congo to tx Secretary-General relating to the im- 874th meeting on 18 July 1960, the representative of plementation of the Securlt)l Council resolutions S/4741 of 21 February Cuba upheld his Government’s right of appeal to 1961 and S/500? of 24 November 1961, see: S/5033 and Add.i-9, the Council, in spite of the existence of the Organization O.R, 17th year, Suppl. for Jar.. -h!arch 1962, pp. 2-44; S/5053/Add. 10, of American States, and advanced further charges O.R., 17th year, Suppl. for April-June 1362, pp. l-93; S/5053/Add.l1, O.R, 17th year, Suppl. for Jrrly-Sept. 1962, pp. l-40; S/5053/Add.l2, that the United States was planning increased aggres- Add.l2/.\dd.l and 2, Add.13 and Add.l3/Add.l, O.R., 17th year, sion and, ultimately, invasi0n.W Suppl. for Ott-Dee, 1362, ;p. l-142; S/5053/.~dd.14-15, O.R., 18th year, Suppl. for Jan.-&larch ll63, pp. l-85. 316/ 874th meeang: preceding para. 1. 3131 S/5428, O.R., 18th year, SuppL for July-Sept. 1963, pp. 160-178. 31;/ 874th meeting: para. 2. 3w S/5784. 318/ S/4388; 874th meenng: para. 3. %/ S/4378, O.R., 15th year, Suppl. for July-Sept. 1960, pp. 9-10. 3x/ 874th meeang: paras. 6-W Part II 185

In reply, the representative of the United States ” 2. Invites the members of the Organization of denied the Cutan allegations and assured the Council American States to lend their assistance towards that his Government harboured no aggressive inten- the achievement of a peac&l solution of the present tions against Cuba. It was Cuba, he asserted, that situation in accordance lWvith the purposes and was the source of tensions in the Caribbean area.33 principles of the Charter of the United Sations;

At the same meeting the representatives of Argentina “3. Urges in the meantime all other States to and Ecuador submitted a draft resolution 3W In refrain from any action lihich might increase the introducing the joint draft resolution, the repr’e&nta- existing tensions between Cuba and the United tive of Argentina expressed the view that analysis of States of America.” the legal relationship between the OX and the United Kations was not indispensable. He believed that COMPLAINT BY THE USSR (RB-47 INCIDENT) the Council could agree on the practical proposition INITIAL PROCEEDISGS that since the OAS had already taken cognizance of the matter, it would be desirable to await the results By telegram%/ dated 13 July 1960 to the Secretary- of its action . 322/ General, the Foreign Minister of the USSR requested an urgent meeting of the Security Council to examine At the 876th meeting on 19 July 1960, the repre- the question of Yew aggressive acts by the Air sentative of the USSR objected to the vieu, that, since Force of the United States of America against the the matter was at the time being considered by the , creating a threat to universal peace”, OAS, consideration of it by the Council should be occurring on 1 July 1960. The need for immediate adjourned. He said that Cuba had brought the matter consideration of the question arose from the fact to the Council, not to the OM, and proposed certain that United States military aircraft were continuing amendments 32%’ to the draft resolution.3 their “aggressive invasions” of Soviet airspace. At the same meeting the amendments of the USSR In an explanatory memorandum&!?/ of the same were rejected3251 by 2 votes in favour, 8 against, date it was stated th,& this was tlie Second time and 1 abstention, and the resolution jointly submitted within a few months that the question of aggressive by Argentina and Ecuador was adopted326/ by 9 votes acts by the had been sub- in favour, none against, and 2 abstentions. The reso- mitted to the Council, Despite the Council’s resolution lution327/ read: of 27 ,??!?/ appealing to all Governments to respect each other’s territorial integrity and “The Securitv Council. political independence and to refrain from acts that “Having heard the statements made by the Foreign might increase tensions, the Government of the Minister of Cuba and by members of the Council, United States was openlv w flouting the appeal and continued to follow its prcyocative practices of dis- “Taking into account the provisions of Articles 24, patching its military aircraft into the airspace of 33, 34, 35, 36, 52 and 103 of the Charter af the the USSR. Sotibithstanding signals given by a Soviet United Nations, fighter aircraft to follow it down and make a landing, the violating aircraft penetrated further into Soviet “Taking into account als o articles 20 and 102 of airspace and consequently was shot down over Soviet the Charter of the Organiz ,ation of American States territorial waters to the east of Cape Svyatoy Xos at of which both Cuba and the United States of America 6.30 p.m. time on 1 July. According to evi- are members, dence given at their interrogation by two crew n Deeply concerned at the situation existing between members of the aircraft, the aircraft belonged to an Cuba and the United States of America, air unit of the United States strategic military intelligence service, and had been carrying out “Considering that it is the obligation of all special military reconnaissance missions. It was Members of the United Kations to settle their armed with 20.millimetre guns with a full -supply international disputes bY negotiation and other of ammunition and had a compartment containing peaceful means in such a manner that international special photographic and radio-electronic recon- peace and security and justice are not endangered, naissance equipment. “Noting that this situation is under consideration In addition to lodging a strong protest with the by the Organization of American States, United States, the Soviet Government had also sent protests to the Governments of the United Kingdom n 1. Decides to adjourn the consideration of this and Norway because the aforementioned facts had question pending the receipt of a report from the implicated their countries in the United States aggres- Organization of American States: sive designs.

33’ 1374rh rtleeting: paras. 95-124. At the 880th meeting on 22 July 1960, the Council 321/ S/4332, sa.me text as S,‘4335, see below. decided=/ to include the question in its agenda. It 322/ 874th meetIn@ 0’ paras . 125-143. See chapter S, Cases 2 and 10; was considered at the 650th to 883rd meetings, held see also chapter XII, Case 24. between 22 and 26 July 1960. 323/ S/4334, 870th meeting: paras. 105-107. 33 870th meeting: paras. 0-109. 328/ ,S/4384, lx., p. 12. 3L5/ 876th meeting: para. 127. 329/ S/43$5, Ibid., pp. 13-G. 326/ 876th meeting: para. 126. 330/ S/4325, O.R, 1Sti year, ScppL for April-June 1360, pp. 22-23. 32;/ S/4335, O.R, 15th year, Sup@. for July-Sept. 1960, pp. 2930. j31/ 880th meeung: precdng para. 1.