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R 021516Z JUL 74
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4444
INFO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
CONFIDENTIAL CARACAS 06033
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: GY VE PBOR
SUBJ: GOV CONCERNED REGARDING AMERICAN RELIGIOUS GROUP AND CUBANS SETTLING IN DISPUTED AREA OF GUYANA
REF: GEORGETOWN 0977, GEORGETOWN 1081
1. ON JUNE 28 EMBASSY’S POLITICAL COUNSELOR WAS VISITED BY DR. LUIS MARTINEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF BOUNDARIES OF THE MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN RELATIONS. DR. MARTINEZ LEFT FOLLOWING AIDE MEMOIRE IN SPANISH OF WHICH FOLLOWING IS INFORMAL TRASLATION [translation]:
BEGIN QUOTE: THE GOVERNMENT OF VENEZUELA HAS INFORMATION REGARDING TO DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THE AREA LOCATED TO THE WEST OF THE DSEQUIBO [ESQUIBO] RIVER.
(1) A GROUP OF PERSONS OF NORTH AMERICAN NATIONALITY OF VARIOUS RACIAL ORIGINS (CHINESE, KOREANS, VIETNAMESE, PUERTO RICANS, CUBANS, AND BLACKS) HAVE BANNED [BANDED] TOGETHER UNDER THE NAME “PEOPLE’S DISCIPLES” (SIC). [PEOPLES TEMPLE]
(2) THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA SEEMS DISPOSED TO ASSIST THESE MIGRANTS TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES IN THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ZONE.
(3) DR. KENNETH KING, MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMY OF GUYANA, SEEMS TO HAVE OBTAINED DURING HIS VISIT TO CUBA LAST MONTH A PROMISE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND THE SENDING OF SOME 700 CUBANS. END QUOTE
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2. INASMUCH AS THE GOV’S AIDE MEMOIRE INVOLVES THE AREA OF GUYANA WHICH IS CLAIMED BY VENEZUELA, THE EMBASSY WILL TAKE NO ACTION ON THIS MATTER PENDING RECEIPT OF GUIDANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
3. IT IS OF INTEREST THAT THE GOV’S ACTION CALLING THESE ALLEGATIONS TO THE EMBASSY’S ATTENTION CAME IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF GUYANAN FOREIGN MINISTER RAMPHAL’S VISIT TO CARACAS. RAMPHAL’S VISIT RECEIVED VERY LITTLE PRESS ATTENTION HERE, BEING COMPLETELY OVERSHADOWED BY THE UN CONFERENCE ON THE LAW OF THE SEA. WHEN I SPOKE TO RAMPHAL WITH REGARD TO THESE REPORTED MISSIONARY COLONIES NEAR THE VENEZUELAN BORDER HE SEEMED GENUINELY SURPRISED AND SAID HE KNEW NOTHING OF IT.
MCCLINTOCK [Robert M. McClintock, US Ambassador to Venezuela]
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