THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
9 November 1998
Dear Catherine,
Thank you for your letters dated 29 September and 5 October 1998 concerning the World Food Programme's emergency food aid operation in Cuba. I greatly appreciate your efforts to ensure that the Cuban Government accepts the United States Government food aid contribution.
I understand that your discussions with Vatican officials did not yield the expected results, and that a stalemate has been reached. In view of the Cuban insistence that the assistance not be identified as originating from the United States, it does not appear that an intervention by myself with the Cuban authorities would lead them to reconsider their position.
I would be grateful, however, if you could keep me abreast of the developments of this matter, which is of utmost importance to the well-being of the women and children of Cuba.
Yours sincerely,
Kofi A. Annan
Ms. Catherine Bertini Executive Director World Food Programme Rome \\ \ A,\ UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES 8V i J V \
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian A i«111 is
Interoffice Memorandum NOV - 9 1998 tFflBHHfltaL
To: Mr. S. Iqbal Riza Date: 6 November 1998 Chef de Cabinet Executive Office of the Secretary-General
From: Sergio Vieira de Mello Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs
Subject: Draft letter to Ms. Bertini
Please find attached, as requested, a draft reply to Ms. Catherine Bertini's letters of 29 September and 5 October 1998. Note to Mr. Riza
WFP assistance to Cuba
As you know, Ms. Catherine Bertini has written two letters to the Secretary-General suggesting that he considers intervening with the President of Cuba following Cuba's refusal to accept emergency food aid supplied by the US through WFP.
Ms. Bertini's meeting with the Vice-President of Cuba on 30 September was apparently "most cordial but uncompromising". Mr. Vieira de Mello has also discussed the matter with the Cuban Permanent Representative. The main issue for the Cubans is that they do not want to receive assistance which can be identified as coming from the US so long as US embargo on Cuba is maintained (although it should be noted that humanitarian assistance is exempted).
Ms. Bertini plans to raise the matter again with Vatican officials next Monday (12 October). Her main concern is that out of the $20 million needed for the operation in Cuba, only around $1 million has been pledged by other donors.
In view of the negative response from the Vice President and the Cuban Permanent Representative's insistence that the assistance not be identified as originating from the US, it does not appear that a possible intervention by the Secretary-General would resolve what is clearly a sensitive political dilemma for the Cubans. As suggested by OCHA, one should, in any case, await the outcome of Ms. Bertini's discussions with the Vatican next Monday.
larta Mauras 9 October 1998
WFP Assistance to Cuba
I attach copies_oftwo letters from Mrs. Bertini to the Secretary-General on the issue of U.S. food aid to WFP for Cuba. Mrs. Bertini wonders whether the Secretary-General may | wish to press the Government of Cuba not to refuse such assistance.
Mrs. Bertini is, as the correspondence indicates, in touch with the Vatican to see whether they may intercede with the Government of Cuba. I understand that information on this possibility may be available within the next few days.
Mr. Vieira de Mello, in an informal discussion today with the Cuban Permanent Representative, learned that the Government of Cuba may not have an objection in principle 8 deliveredthrough:J^P^butwp^ld^insjst^at'meJLJ.S. didjnotdetemine" its distribution wjthin_the_couritry^ also, that the food did not arrive marked as a U.S. donation. Mr. Vieira de Mello responded that whereas the former condition could not present a problem, the latter could well be a difficulty.
I recommend that the Secretary-General awaits the outcome of Mrs. Bertini's discussions with the Vatican before taking any action. However, it would be helpful to know whether in principle.LJr^^Sec^r£tary-General would be prepared to intervene withjthe Government of Cuba on this matter.
Martin Griffiths 6 October 1998
cc: The Deputy Secretary-General