[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE277716_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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ORIGIN ARA-10
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 H-03 SCS-01 SS-15 NSC-06 AID-01 /037 R
DRAFTED BY ARA/CAR:R MCCOY:KC
APPROVED BY ARA/CAR:A HEWITT
SCS:R BELT (SUBS)
H/ARA:C CUTTER (SUBS)
——————090192 011604Z /44
P 011523Z NOV 78
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY
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E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO), GY
SUBJECT: CONGRESSMAN RYAN’S VISIT TO GUYANA
REF: (A) STATE 2562273 (B) GEORGETOWN 3125
1. DESK OFFICER MET WITH RYAN STAFFER (MS. JACKIE SPEIER) AND TWO STAFF MEMBERS (JIM SCOLLEART [Schollaert] AND TOM SMEETAN) OF HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE (HIRC) ON OCTOBER 25 TO DISCUSS PROPOSED VISIT. SPEIERS INDICATED THAT CONGRESSMEN RYAN (D-CALIF.) AND DERWINSKI (R-ILL) ACCOMPANIED BY APPROXIMATELY SIX STAFF MEMBERS HAVE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED VISIT TO GUYANA NOVEMBER 14-18.
2. MCCOY RAISED AGAIN SEVERAL POTENTIAL PROBLEMS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED BEFORE ARRIVAL OF GROUP INCLUDING LOGISTICS AND AGREEMENT OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE TO VISIT. WHILE SPEIERS INDICATED ON OCT. 25 THAT RYAN INTENDED
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TO NOTIFY PEOPLE’S TEMPLE OF HIS VISIT SHE ALSO MENTIONED ON OCT. 30 THAT RYAN WAS PLANNING TO REQUEST THAT ORGANIZATION MAKE ABOUT 29 MEMBERS OF THE TEMPLE INCLUDING JOHN STOEN, MARIA KATSARIS ETC AVAILABLE TO CODEL IN GEORGETOWN FOR PERSONAL PRIVATE MEETINGS. MCCOY RESPONDED THAT HE BELIEVED TEMPLE WOULD VIEW REQUEST WITH SUSPICION AND AS IN THE PAST CODEL WOULD BE INFORMED BY TEMPLE REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE INDIVIDUALS REQUESTED IN TELEGRAM DECLINED TO TRAVEL TO GEORGETOWN. MCCOY CONTINUED THAT SUCH A REQUEST WOULD CAST PALL ON VISIT ESPECIALLY TO TOWNSITE. SPEIERS AGREED AND INDICATED SHE WOULD DISCUSS THIS FURTHER WITH RYAN. SPEIERS ALSO MENTIONED THAT RYAN WOULD BE SENDING PERSONAL TELEGRAM TO AMBASSADOR CONCERNING VISIT.
3. FYI EMBASSY SHOULD BE AWARE THAT 18 PRIVATE CITIZENS INCLUDING TIMOTHY AND GRACE STOEN, AND MS. KATSARIS HAVE BEEN REQUESTING RYAN TO EITHER INCLUDE THEM IN PARTY OR HAVE EMBASSY ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION AND GUARANTEE ACCESS TO AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY. MCCOY INFORMED SPEIERS THAT HE BELIEVED TEMPLE WOULD NOT AGREE TO ANY VISIT THAT INCLUDED MEMBERS OF THE CONCERNED RELATIVES INC. HE ADDED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE EMBASSY TO ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION OR REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM GOG FOR PRIVATE CITIZENS. MCCOY CONTINUED THAT EMBASSY WOULD BE PLEASED TO ASSIST PRIVATE GROUP WITH INFORMATION AND ADVICE ABOUT AREA, AND AVAILABILITY OF COMMERCIAL OR CHARTER TRANSPORTATION, BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD THE EMBASSY TRY TO FORCE THE TEMPLE TO RECEIVE THEM. SPEIERS STATED THAT RYAN WOULD NOT BE INCLUDING ANY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS IN HIS DELEGATION AND THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD EMBASSY’S LIMITATIONS IN ASSISTING PRIVATE
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VISITS.
4. DERWINSKI IS ACCOMPANYING RYAN TO GUYANA AND THEN MAY VISIT SURINAME AS PART OF HIS DUTIES ON HIRC. POST WILL BE RECEIVING OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF VISIT THROUGH REGULAR CHANNELS.
VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]
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