‘Cuba Will Reclaim U.S. Base’— Castro

Press, Volume C, Issue 29501, 1 May 1961, Page 13

‘Cuba Will Reclaim U.S. Base’— Castro

KEY WEST (Florida), April 30. Cuba would reclaim the United States Navy base at Guantanamo Bay at the “opportune moment,” the Cuban Prime Minister, Dr. Fidel Castro, was quoted today as saying. Dr. Castro had said the base would be reclaimed at the “opportune moment and by legal means so this will not be taken as an excuse for an invasion.” The statement was heard in Key West over the Havana radio station VOZ, which said Dr. Castro had expressed the view to the Venezuelan newspaper, “El Nacional.”

Dr. Castro's threat against the Guantanamo base was one of a series which began even before the United States broke off relations with Cuba, the Associated Press said.

He was hinting at driving North Americans out as early as October, 1959, and again in October, 1960. The base, at the eastern tip of Cuba, was established in 1898 when United States marines stormed ashore against Spanish opposition. The station, for which the United States pays an annual rent of 3386 dollars, now is valued at 60 million dollars. The United States believed that the problem of communism in Cuba was not “negotiable,” the State Department said on Friday in a comment on reports that Cuba was willing to try to negotiate a settlement with the United States.

President Osvaldo Dorticos of Cuba has offered to negotiate “on an equal footing” with the United States to solve differences between the two nations. The offer was contained in a Note signed by the President and the Prime Minister (Dr. Fidel Castro), which said Cuba was ready to find a solution to mutual problems, and if the United States acted in good faith “pacific and friendly relations” could be established.