[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE289798_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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ORIGIN ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 L-03 H-01 SCS-06 CA-01 SS-15 NSCE-00 SSO-00 /042 R
DRAFTED BY ARA/CAR:JGRIFFITH;L/ARA,TFORTUNE
APPROVED BY ARA,MGROVE
H,MFRALEY
SCS, MR BELT
L/CA,RHENDERSON
ARA/CAR,AHEWITT
M:MGINSBERG (INFO)
——————006311 151354Z /53
O 151343Z NOV 78 ZFF4
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN NIACT IMMEDIATE
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E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO) GY
SUBJECT: CONGRESSMAN RYAN’S VISIT TO GUYANA
REF: GEORGETOWN 3714
1. DEPT UNDERSTANDS THAT JOURNALISTS AND NBC TELEVISION TEAM ARE NOT ACCOMPANYING CODEL RYAN AS REFTEL INDICATES, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY BE IN GEORGETOWN AT SAME TIME AS CODEL BECAUSE OF RYAN’S VISIT.
2. EMBASSY AUTHORIZED TO MAKE FOLLOWING STATEMENT AVAILABLE TO MEDIA AND CONCERNED PARENTS ON “IF ASKED” BASIS: QUOTE: THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE COMMUNITY AT JONESTOWN IS A GROUP OF PRIVATE AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO COME
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TO GUYANA AS PERMANENT OR SEMI-PERMANENT RESIDENTS. AS WITH PRIVATE AMERICAN CITIZENS RESIDING ANYWHERE ABROAD, THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE HOST COUNTRY, IN THIS CASE GUYANA. THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN GEORGETOWN HAS NO OFFICIAL CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE OTHER THAN THE PROVISION OF NORMAL CONSULAR SERVICES TO THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY ON A REGULAR BASIS. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE RENEWAL OF PASSPORTS, REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, ETC. THE EMBASSY HAS NO OFFICIAL AUTHORITY OVER THE COMMUNITY OR ITS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE VIENNA CONVENTION ON CONSULAR RELATIONS AND IN THE BILATERAL CONSULAR CONVENTION THAT IS IN FORCE BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES, THE EMBASSY DOES NOT HAVE ANY LEGAL RIGHT TO DEMAND ACCESS TO ANY PRIVATE AMERICAN CITIZEN IN GUYANA. IN LIGHT OF THIS, THE EMBASSY HAS NO AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE CONTACTS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE AND PERSONS WHOM THEY DO NOT WISH TO RECEIVE. THE MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE ARE PROTECTED BY THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974, AS ARE ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS. UNQUOTE.
VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]
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