Jan 5, 1979 • 2217 • State-Georgetown • 03542

[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979STATE003542_e.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]

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STATE 003542
ORIGIN ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 PA-02 ICAE-00 SSO-00 SCS-06 CA-01 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 INRE-00 SS-15 NSCE-00 /050 R
DRAFTED BY ARA/CAR:JCGRIFFITH:NHM
APPROVED BY ARA/CAR:ACHEWITT
ARA/P:WJDIETERICH
——————082924 052244Z /15

O 052217Z JAN 79
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS STATE 003542

E.O. 12065: N/A
TAGS: GY, SOPN
SUBJECT: PRESS GUIDANCE
REF: DWYER/GRIFFITH TELECON 1/5/79

1. FOLLOWING WAS POSTED IN PRESS BRIEFING ROOM IN DEPARTMENT ON JANUARY 3:

THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA HAS ASKED THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK INTO A PRESS REPORT OF DECEMBER 24, 1978 WHICH INDICATED THAT TWO SENIOR UNITED STATES OFFICIALS HAD QUESTIONED WHETHER GUYANESE AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES LAWRENCE [Laurence] MANN HAD EVER INVESTIGATED ALLEGATIONS OF MISTREATMENT AND IMPRISONMENT BY THE PEOPLES TEMPLE ORGANIZATION. THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS REPLIED THAT NO OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE SUCH A STATEMENT.

VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]

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