[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 673 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04048_d.html.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 04048 011614Z
ACTION ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SCS-06 CA-01 SS-15 SSO-00 SY-05 SYE-00 FBIE-00 PA-02 H-02 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 DODE-00 INRE-00 NSCE-00 ICAE-00 /057 W
——————049123 011622Z /42
O 011505Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8294
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4048
E.O. 12065: N/A
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO), GY
SUBJECT: FBI PRESENCE-MEETING WITH MINISTER GREEN
1. Ambassador [John Burke] and [Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Victor] Dikeos met with Minister Hamilton Green this morning at his request. Green expressed moderate displeasure at embassy consular staff’s actions of yesterday in posting Jonestown area with consular seal. Ambassador reminded Green that he had tried but was unable to reach the minister who was tied up all day with the prime minister [Forbes Burnham] and went on to say that in the circumstances he felt he had to proceed to discharge his consular responsibility without delay.
2. With respect to the four FBI personnel, the ambassador expressed mild surprise at the news item in Friday’s Guyana Chronicle which states that the GOG [Government of Guyana] has agreed to accept a visit by a team of FBI agents who will collect information on the death of Congressman Ryan and on the activities of the PT. Green said the news was released in error but that it now did not present a serious problem to the GOG.
3. Arrangements were made with Green for FBI representatives to meet with Cecil “Skip” Roberts, Chief, CID, to begin
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investigative interface immediately.
4. Minister Green agreed to continuing visits to Jonestown by FBI agents and consular staff members provided prior clearance is granted in each case. He said he intended to go to Jonestown, possibley [possibly] on Sunday, to inspect the site. Ambassador Burke offered the use of a USG [U.S. Government] helicopter for the minister’s trip and for other Jonestown related travel for as long as the helicopters remain at the embassy’s disposal.
5. Comment: There is no longer any need to embargo in the United States the news of the FBI team’s visit to Guyana. News releases should probably emphasize the technical nature of the FBI activity in Guyana.
Burke [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
UNCLASSIFIED