[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979STATE015478_e.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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STATE 015478
ORIGIN L-03
INFO OCT-01 ARA-11 ISO-00 JUSE-00 CA-01 OCS-06 /022 R
DRAFTED BY L/ARA:TJFORTUNE:RTG
APPROVED BY L/ARA:MGKOZAK
ARA/CAR-A. HEWITT (PHONE)
JUSTICE – J. HERGEN (SUBS)
DESIRED DISTRIBUTION
PASS TO JUSTICE J. HERGEN
——————007190 200102Z /64
O 192340Z JAN 79
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
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E.O. 12065: N/A
TAGS: CASC, GY (PEOPLES TEMPLE)
SUBJECT: INVENTORY OF PEOPLES TEMPLE PROPERTY IN GUYANA
REF: GEORGETOWN 0060
1. AS EMBASSY IS AWARE, U.S. HAS YET TO RECEIVE A SPECIFIC RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST CONTAINED IN THE EMBASSY’S NOTE OF DECEMBER 20, L978 THAT AN INVENTORY OF ALL PEOPLES TEMPLE ASSETS IN GUYANA BE COMPILED. GOG NOTE OF JANUARY 5 MENTIONED STEPS WHICH GUYANESE OFFICIALS HAD TAKEN TO INVENTORY PROPERTY AT JONESTOWN, BUT DID NOT REFER TO THE GENERAL INVENTORY OF ALL TEMPLE PROPERTY REQUESTED BY EMBASSY NOTE. REFTEL A PARA 3 REPORTS THAT GOG HAS ACCEPTED PROPOSAL FOR JOINT INVENTOR DETAILS HAVE YET TO BE ARRANGED, HOWEVER. FORTUNE RAISED THIS QUESTION WITH SOLICITER GENERAL SABOLA AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE U.S.
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SHOULD PRESENT A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL FOR AN INVENTORY BY MEANS OF A NOTE TO FOMIN. TEXT OF PROPOSED NOTE FOLLOWS:
2. EXCELLENCY:
I HAVE THE HONOR TO REFER TO MY NOTE TO YOUR EXCELLENCY OF DECEMBER 20, 1978 AND TO YOUR EXCELLENCY’S GRACIOUS REPLY OF JANUARY 5, 1979. AS YOUR EXCELLENCY WILL RECALL, MY EARLIER NOTE PROPOSED THAT AN INVENTORY OF ALL ASSETS OF THE PEOPLES TEMPLE IN GUYANA BE COMPILED, AND OFFERED THE ASSISTANCE OF MY GOVERNMENT IN CONDUCTING SUCH AN INVENTORY. IN REPLY, YOUR EXCELLENCY INFORMED ME OF CERTAIN STEPS WHICH YOUR GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN TO COMPILE AN INVENTORY OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT JONESTOWN. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT YOUR EXCELLENCY MAKE AVAILABLE TO MY GOVERNMENT THE RESULTS OF ANY INVENTORIES CONDUCTED BY OFFICIALS OF YOUR GOVERNMENT AT JONESTOWN.
AS YOUR EXCELLENCY IS NO DOUBT AWARE, THE PEOPLES TEMPLE HELD ASSETS IN GUYANA IN LOCATIONS OTHER THAN JONESTOWN. THESE ASSETS INCLUDE VESSELS, VEHICLES, BANK ACCOUNTS, A RESIDENCE IN GEORGETOWN, AND SOME 110 CRATES OF UNDELIVERED MERCHANDISE CONSIGNED TO THE PEOPLES TEMPLE. THE AMERICAN CONSULATE HAS IN ITS POSSESSION A NUMBER OF CHECKS PAYABLE TO THE PEOPLES TEMPLE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AUTHORITIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA ARE HOLDING CURRENCY OF BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND THE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA WHICH WAS TAKEN FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLES TEMPLE. IN ORDER THAT BOTH OUR GOVERNMENTS MAY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF A COMPREHENSIVE ACCOUNTING OF ALL ASSETS OF THE PEOPLES TEMPLE LOCATED IN GUYANA, I PROPOSE THAT THE EFFORTS ALREADY
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UNDERTAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA IN JONESTOWN BE CONTINUED WITH RESPECT TO ASSETS OF THE PEOPLES TEMPLE LOCATED ELSEWHERE IN GUYANA. I WOULD BE PLEASED TO ASSIGN AN OFFICIAL OF THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE TO WORK WITH APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUR GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK, AND TO PROVIDE ANY OTHER ASSISTANCE WHICH MAY 0E APPROPRIATE.
ACCEPT EXCELLENCY . . .
3. IF EMBASSY CONCURS IN APPROACH TAKEN EMBASSY IS REQUESTED TO DELIVER PROPOSED NOTE AT EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.
VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]
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