Letter From President Kennedy to Premier Khrushchev, October 27, 1962

12 No. 10 LETTER FROM PRESIDENT KENNEDY TO PREMIER KHRUSHCHEV OCTOBER 27, 1962 Dear Mr. Chairman: I have read your letter of October 26th with great care and welcomed the statement of your desire to seek a prompt solution to the problem. The first thing that needs to be done, however, is for work to cease on offensive missile bases in Cuba and for all weapons systems in Cuba capable of offensive use to be rendered inoperable, under effective United Nations arrangements. Assuming this is done promptly, I have given my repre- sentatives in New York instructions that will permit them to work out this week end - in cooperation with the Acting Secretary General and your representative -- an arrangement for a permanent solution to the Cuban problem along the lines' suggested in your letter of October 26th. As I read your letter, the key elements of your proposals -- which seem generally acceptable as I understand them -- are as follows: 1. You would agree to remove these weapons systems from Cuba under appropriate United Nations observation and supervision; and undertake, with suitable safeguards, to halt Cuba. the further introduction of such weapons systems into 2. We, on our part, would agree -- upon the establish- ment of adequate arrangements through the United Nations to ensure the carrying out and continuation of these commitments-- (a) to remove promptly the quarantine measures now in effect and (b) to give assurances against an invasion of Cuba and I am confident that other nations of the Western Hemisphere would be prepared to do likewise. If you will give your representative similar instructions there is no reason why we should not be able to complete these arrangements and announce them to the world within a couple of days. The effect of such a settlement on easing world tensions would enable us to work toward a more general arrangement regarding "other armaments", as proposed in your