Swiss Resistance Movement

In his 41 years of power, Fidel Castro has nationalized, "intervened" or otherwise appropriated $1 billion worth of U.S. investments in Cuba. Last week, on the eve of the tenth anniversary celebration of his 26th of July movement, he grabbed about the only thing left to take--aside from the big naval base at Guantanamo Bay. Castro "expropriated" the $1,200,000, seven-story former U.S. embassy building on the Havana waterfront.

Under well-established international practice, embassy property is regarded as inviolable even after a break in diplomatic relations. Castro, who needs no precedents, said he was merely retaliating for the recent freeze clamped on Cuban assets in the U.S. He ordered out the Swiss mission that has occupied and managed the embassy for the U.S. since 1961.

Washington protested. The Swiss simply rejected the decree, calling it "unacceptable"--an attitude that seemed to take the Cubans by surprise. If Castro decides to use force to oust the Swiss from the building, the U.S. will probably hale Cuba before the U.N. and charge it with violating international law.

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