DATE=  11/18/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222884

TITLE=U-S/CUBA RECORDS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=BILL RODGERS

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  THE RELEASE OF PREVIOUSLY CLASSIFIED U-S GOVERNMENT 

DOCUMENTS INDICATES THE U-S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPED A NUMBER

OF PLANS TO UNDERMINE CUBAN LEADER FIDEL CASTRO DURING THE EARLY 

1960'S.  AS V-O-A'S BILL RODGERS REPORTS, THE DOCUMENTS WERE 

RELEASED TODAY (TUESDAY) BY AN INDEPENDENT FEDERAL AGENCY 

REVIEWING RECORDS RELATED TO THE 1963 ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT 

JOHN F. KENNEDY.



TEXT:  THE ASSASSINATION RECORDS REVIEW BOARD HAS RELEASED SOME 

15-HUNDRED PAGES OF PREVIOUSLY CLASSIFIED MILITARY RECORDS 

RELATED TO U-S POLICY TOWARD CUBA FROM 1962 TO 1964.  BOARD 

MEMBER ANNA NELSON SAYS THESE DOCUMENTS REVEAL THAT MILITARY 

PLANNERS PROPOSED A NUMBER OF WAYS TO UNDERMINE CUBA'S COMMUNIST 

GOVERNMENT.



                        ///NELSON ACT///



         I THINK WHAT THEY SHOW IS A GOVERNMENT-WIDE PLAN TO 

         DESTABILIZE CUBA AND AN EFFORT TO REMOVE CASTRO AS HEAD 

         OF GOVERNMENT OF CUBA.



                          ///END ACT///



AMONG SOME OF THE PROPOSED MEASURES WAS A SCHEME TO DISTRIBUTE 

FAKE PHOTOGRAPHS IN CUBA OF FIDEL CASTRO ACCOMPANIED BY TWO 

ATTRACTIVE WOMEN SITTING AT A FOOD-LADEN TABLE AS A WAY TO 

UNDERMINE CUBAN MORALE.  ANOTHER MORE SERIOUS PROPOSAL WAS TO 

BLOW UP A U-S SHIP IN GUANTANAMO BAY AND BLAME IT ON CUBA'S 

COMMUNISTS AS A MEANS TO PROVOKE A U-S MILITARY INTERVENTION.



MS. NELSON -- A HISTORIAN AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON --

SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE IDEAS WERE N-E-V-E-R 

CARRIED OUT.



                        ///NELSON ACT///



         WHILE THEY THOUGHT UP A LOT OF THINGS, AND THEY DO SOUND

         PRETTY SCREWEY (CRAZY), THEY NEVER DID THEM.  THERE WERE

         CLEARLY WISER HEADS ABOVE, SOMEWHERE.



                         ///END ACT/// 



MS. NELSON IS ONE OF FIVE MEMBERS OF THE ASSASSINATION RECORDS 

REVIEW BOARD, WHICH WAS CREATED IN 1992 BY CONGRESS TO OVERSEE 

THE IDENTIFICATION, REVIEW AND RELEASE OF RECORDS RELATED TO THE 

1963 ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY.  THE MANDATE OF THE 

REVIEW BOARD IS TO MAKE THE RECORD SURROUNDING THE MURDER AS 

COMPLETE AS POSSIBLE.  MS. NELSON SAYS THE EVENT HAS TO BE LOOKED

AT IN A BROADER HISTORICAL CONTEXT. 



                        ///NELSON ACT///



         WE FEEL THE ASSASSINATION TOOK PLACE IN A LARGER 

         HISTORICAL CONTEXT.  FIRST OF ALL THERE WAS THE COLD WAR

         ITSELF, AND SECONDLY THERE WAS THIS ISSUE OF CUBA WHICH 

         KEEPS REARING ITS HEAD.



                          ///END ACT///



HOWEVER, SHE ADDS THERE IS NO INDICATION THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT WAS

INVOLVED IN THE ASSASSINATION.  THE REVIEW BOARD PLANS TO 

CONTINUE ITS WORK -- AND WILL BE RELEASING MORE PREVIOUSLY 

CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS IN THE COMING MONTHS. (SIGNED)







NEB/PT



18-Nov-97 5:34 PM EST (2234 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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