Undated draft press release to Mohamed Hamaludin

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[Handwriting: “Submitted to Mohamed Hamaludin Chronicle Dec. 30, 19”; rest cut off]

Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and Foreign Minister Fred Wills met with Bishop Jim Jones – who established the Peoples Temple Agriculture Mission at Jonestown in the Northwest District – and with the Lieutenant Governor of California, Hon. Mervyn Dymally. The private meeting, which took place Wednesday in the Prime Minister’s [“office” crossed out; “residence” written in], centered around the topic of relations between Guyana and the United States. The Lt. Governor is the second top political figure in the most populated state of America, and he came as Bishop Jones’ guest to visit the Jonestown project and also to pay a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister.

Both Bishop Jones and the Lt. Governor have spoken out on the right of all Third World countries to pursue a course of self-determination without interference from [handwriting: “any” inserted] another countr [hand writing: “y” written; words scribbled out.]

Bishop Jones, who has a large movement of many thousands in various states of America, met privately with Mrs. Jimmy Carter, the newly elected President’s wife, and also the new Vice-President, Walter Mondale, prior to the recent Presidential election. The Bishop made his [handwriting: “personal”] support of the Carter-Mondale ticket contingent on the assurance that the new administration would pursue a non-interventionist policy, particularly with respect to Guyana. The Bishop said he was given that assurance by both Mrs. Carter and Vice-President Mondale.

Prime Minister Burnham and Minister Wills indicated to Bishop Jones and Mr. Dymally that Guyana wants to keep the doors open to cooperation with the United States. The Lt. Governor said he intends to convey that message to the U.S. State Department sometime after the inauguration of the new President in January. The Lt. Governor recently spoke out—in Trinidad, where he grew up—against CIA destabilization efforts in the Caribbean.

Following the  meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ptolem [handwriting: “y” written] Reid gave Bishop Jones and Lt. Governor Dymally a luncheon reception at Her [handwriting: “d” written in] manston House, which was attended by [handwriting: “many” written in] other ministers and government officials, as well as representa-

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tives of the clergy, trade union [labor crossed out, “movement” written in], and the medical field.

Dr. Reid extended his appreciation, on behalf of the government, to the Lt. Governor for his interest in the well-being of Guyana. [Handwriting crossing out: “and he thanked Bishop Jones for being an unofficial ambassador of goodwill between Guyana and the U.S. and also for identifying with the country’s Feed, Clothe, and House the Nation Program.“ Written in: “Referring to Bishop Jones as an unofficial ambassador of goodwill between Guyana and the U.S., Dr. Reid thanked him for supporting the government’s Feed, Clothe, & House the Nation Program through the Jonestown project.”]