[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979STATE044796_e.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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STATE 044796
ORIGIN ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SS-15 SP-02 NSC-05 SIG-03 MMO-01 PM-05 INR-10 CIAE-00 ICA-11 NSAE-00 DODE-00 L-03 PA-01 A-02 HA-05 OES-09 EB-08 COM-02 TRSE-00 OCS-06 CA-01 SIL-01 LAB-04 LABE-00 INT-05 IO-14 AID-05 /134 R
DRAFTED BY ARA/CAR:R MCCOY:KC
APPROVED BY ARA:V P VAKY
ARA/CAR:A HEWITT
ARA/IEL R EINAUDI
P:F VARGAS .
S/P:R FEINBERG
T:GFMULLER / NSC:RPASTOR
M:B READ
——————022503 232003Z /47
O 231856Z FEB 79
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T STATE 044796
E.O. 12065: XDS-3 2/23/89 (VAKY, VIRON P.)
AGS: AMGT, OGEN, PEPR, PFOR, GY
SUBJECT: U.S. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
REFS: (A) 78 STATE 287307 (B) STATE 26977
1. (S) ENTIRE TEXT
2. FOLLOWING IS THE FINAL VERSION OF THE GORM STATEMENT FOR GUYANA:
BEGIN TEXT:
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U.S. INTERESTS — A FRIENDLY, STABLE, DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT ORIENTED TOWARD THE WEST WITH A CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS.
— ACCESS TO GUYANA’S RESOURCES.
— GUYANESE PARTICIPATION IN COOPERATIVE CARIBBEAN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS.
— DENIAL OF THE USE OF GUYANA’S TERRITORY BY FORCES HOSTILE TO THE U.S. KEY POLICY ISSUES FACING THE U.S. IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS
— WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE U.S. RELATIONSHIP WITH GUYANA IN VIEW OF THE TROUBLING DRIFT TOWARD ONE-PARTY RULE, INCREASING EXTREMISM OF OPPOSITION GROUPS AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT BURNHAM WILL DROP FROM THE SCENE, SETTING THE STAGE FOR A POWER STRUGGLE AND INCREASED POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INSTABILITY.
— HOW TO RESOLVE POTENTIAL BILATERAL ISSUES RELATED TO JONESTOWN SUCH AS PROPERTY CLAIMS AND THE CONTINUED ACCESS OF U.S. INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES TO PEOPLE’S TEMPLE RECORDS IN GUYANESE CUSTODY.
— HOW TO DEAL WITH INCREASED CUBAN ANDSOVIET INFLUENCE WHICH MAY RESULT FROM POLITICAL INSTABILITY. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
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— IMPROVED BILATERAL RELATIONS.
— CONTINUATION OF GUYANESE RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND TRADE UNION FREEDOMS.
— ACCESS TO BAUXITE AT REASONABLE PRICES.
— DIMINISHED FLOW OF ILLEGAL MIGRANTS TO U.S.
— THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HELPFUL GUYANESE ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT OF U.S. POSITIONS.
— CLARIFICATION OF GUYANESE POLICY ON PRIVATE FOREIGN INVESTMENT.
— CONTINUED COOPERATION IN RESOLVING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JONESTOWN TRAGEDY.
— EXPLANATION OF CHANGES FROM LAST GOALS AND OBJECTIVES STATEMENT
— A HEIGHTENED CONCERN OVER FUTURE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN GUYANA IS CAUSED BY THE GOVERNMENT’S GOAL OF A MARXIST STATE WITH A NEW SOCIALIST CONSTITUTION.
— THE JONESTOWN TRAGEDY HAS ELICITED EXCELLENT COOPERATION FROM THE GUYANESE THAT SHOULD CARRY OVER TO OTHER ISSUES.
— RECENT U.S. ECONOMIC INITIATIVES IN THE CARIBBEAN AND OUR CONTINUED BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE HAVE LESSENED SUSPICION OF U.S. INTENTIONS IN GUYANA.
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CHRISTOPHER [Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher]
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