 
in your statement, you said that the main aim lies not only in reaching 
agreement and adopting measures to avert contact of our ships, and, 
consequently, a deepening of the crisis, which because of this contact can 
spark off the fire of military conflict after which any talks would be 
superfluous because other forces and other laws would begin to operate, the 
laws of war. 
i agree with you that this is only a first step. 
the main thing is to normalize and stabilize the situation in the world 
between states and between people. 
i understand your concern for the security of the united states, mr. 
president, because this is the first duty of the president. 
however, these questions are also uppermost in our minds. 
the same duties rest with me as chairman of the u.s.s.r. council of 
ministers. 
you have been worried over our assisting cuba with arms designed to 
strengthen its defensive potential, precisely defensive potential, because 
cuba, no matter what weapons it had, could not compare with you since these 
are different dimensions, the more so given up-to-date means of extermination. 
