November 1, 1963 One day after signing a cease-fire pact with Algeria, Morocco severed diplomatic ties yesterday with Cuba. Accusing Syria and the United Arab Republic of extreme hostility, Morocco also recalled her Ambassadors from those Arab countries. The Moroccan Foreign Minister charged that Cuba had sent volunteers and military aid to Algeria. He said that the recall of the Ambassadors might lead to similar breaks with Damascus and Cairo. Rabats moves reflected an ideological split in the Arab world between Socialist and royalist regimes. Premier Fidel Castro charged in a broadcast that the Central Intelligence Agency was operating a ship called the Rex for sabotage missions against Cuba. He said that two of the ships boats and several agents had been captured. A vessel called the Rex was moored at Palm Beach. At his news conference, President Kennedy promised West Germany that there were no plans to reduce the number of U. S. combat troops there. The President said that in addition to the six divisions in West Germany, he intended to keep there smaller units sent as temporary reinforcements in 1961. West Germany has set a high priority on a national territorial force of reservists to back up NATO combat units. The Defense Ministry is also reconsidering -- which probably means canceling -- a proposed $70-million outlay for Lockheed Starfighter training planes. At the United Nations, the General Assemblys 111-member Political Committee voted 97 to 1 to call for further efforts toward a full ban on nuclear testing. On Moscows avowed withdrawal from the manned moon race, President Kennedy told his audience of reporters, I would not make any bets at all on Soviet intentions. Mr. Kennedy, suggesting that the United States assume the race is still on, held that the essential space program should continue. Declining to go into details, Mr. Kennedy indicated that the wheat sale to Russia, still stalled over American cargo rates, would be concluded soon. On the political side of things, the President assured the conference that Vice President Johnson would be on the Democratic ticket next year despite reports that he might be dumped. From this assurance came the basic assumption that Mr. Kennedy himself would be a candidate. House Armed Services subcommittee investigators said that a shutdown of four ground computer stations and 17 radar facilities, opposed by the Air Force, had hurt the nations defenses. They blamed Defense Secretary McNamara for misinforming the President on how to implement the program. Senate leaders of both parties proposed that $385 million be pared from the foreign aid bill. The move, designed to prevent a bigger bite and further delay, was opposed by Senator Wayne Morse, the region Democrat, who is trying to send the measure back to a House committee. As the 5.5 per cent national unemployment rate was reported virtually unchanged for the month (1:2) a Presidential commission chairman told the Senate Labor subcommittee of a plan to attack poverty on a broad scale in the Appalachian area from Pennsylvania to Alabama. At least 62 persons were killed and hundreds injured in a gas explosion beneath a crowded grandstand at the opening of an ice show in the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. U. S. favor arises as an issue in Greece. Kennedy defends Korth in TFX inquiry. Bill to fight retardation is signed. Huge new radar is shown by United States. Kennedy scores Quality Stabilization Bill. U.S. Argentine rift develops over oil contracts.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 20:22:11 +0000