78-04-A5

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Cubans and Russians

Transcript The Senate Foreign Relations committee has had a growing amount of testimony about Cuban and Russian infiltration and influence in Panama. But for some reason, it seems unwilling to launch a thorough investigation of those tips it has received. A group of Panamanians best described as civic and educational leaders appeared before the Senate committee and told of witnessing the landing and takeoff of Soviet planes at the Rio Hato air strip. This was a United States air base in World War II which later we turned over to Panama. The Soviet planes come in low over the ocean to avoid radar detection. The same witnesses told of how a group of Panamanian students every six months is sent to Cuba to study. What was it the Soviets said about winning just one generation in a country and having that country forever? Other interesting testimony was that Panamanian students are sent to the U.S.S.R for five year study periods. Also that Torrijos has requested Cuban advisors to come to Panama and teach his administration how to "set up neighborhood committees to facilitate the government's control of the people on a local level". They told the Senators there were agreements between the Soviet Union and Panama to be implemented after the treaties were ratified; involving construction (by the Russians) of a hydroelectric plant in Panama and establishing diplomatic relations with Moscow among other things. Lieutenant General Daniel Graham, now retired, but formerly head of the Defense Intelligence Agency writing in The Navy Times said rumors of Cuban operatives in Panama are backed by pretty solid evidence. The general had to be circumspect because of the risk of exposing classified information, but he made it pretty clear there were Cuban guerilla warfare specialists in Panama. Being careful not to put his former colleagues in military intelligence on the spot, his comments nevertheless made it clear that a congressional investigation is warranted. Word in Washington today is that Americans and Panamanians have met with anti-treaty senators and talked of Cuban infiltration. Still a pro-treaty Senator Frank Church complains that if we don't give General Torrijos the Canal, Panama will move to the left. Actually Panama hasn't much of a move left to make. In 1976 in the United Nations out of 21 votes Panama voted 20 times with the Soviet Union against the United States. Do you suppose the Congressional committees are going to wait and investigate all these reports after we've given the canal away? Anything is possible. The Soviet planes flying over Cuba violate the 1963 agreement between President Kennedy and Khrushchev. Our state department defends the Soviet presence in Cuba on the grounds the planes are there for defense and the agreement referred to offensive weapons. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 78-04-A5 Production Date 03/13/1978 Book/Page RihoH-207 Audio Youtube? No
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