[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE00201_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01 GEORGE 00201 141504Z
ACTION ARA-14
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SCS-06 CA-01 L-03 SSO-00 HA-05 /030 W
——————016447 141518Z /45
O 141345Z JAN 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6039
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 0201
FOR FRANK TUMMINIA, ARA/CAR
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC (STOEN, JOHN)
SUBJECT: STOEN CUSTODY CASE: EMBASSY NOTE TO FOREIGN MINISTRY
1. EMBASSY THIS MORNING, JANUARY 14, SENT THE FOLLOWING NOTE TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY CONCERNING THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF MR. AND MRS. TIMOTHY STOEN, HO ARE IN GUYANA ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILD, JOHN STOEN.
2. BEGIN TEXT:
— THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESENTS ITS COMPLIMENTS TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA AND WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS CONCERN ABOUT THE STATUS IN GUYANA OF MR. AND MRS. TIMOTHY STOEN.
–TIMOTHY AND GRACE STOEN CAME TO GUYANA JANUARY 5 FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGAINING CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILD, JOHN STOEN. THEY ARE SEEKING TO DO THIS UNDER DUE PROCESS OF THE GUYANESE LEGAL SYSTEM.
–THEY HAVE IN THEIR PASSPORTS PERMITS TO STAY IN GUYANA FOR A TWO WEEK PERRIOD ENDING JANUARY 19. THEY UNDERSTOOD AT THE TIME THEY WERE ISSUED THOSE PERMITS
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 GEORGE 00201 141504Z
THAT IF THE LITIGATION IN WHICH THEY WERE INVOLVED WAS NOT COMPLETED BY JANUARY 19 THEY COULD APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION OF THEIR STAY. ON JANUARY 13, HOWEVER, AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER CAME TO THEIR HOTEL AND INFORMED THEM THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE GUYANA ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 14. THEY WERE GIVEN NO REASON FOR THIS CURTAILMENT OF THEIR PERMISSION TO STAY IN GUYANA.
— THE EMBASSY BELIEVES IT TO BE A MATTER OF HUMANITARIAN CONCERN THAT THE STOENS BE PERMITTED TO REMAIN IN GUYANA UNTIL THE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS THEY HAVE INITIATED TO REGAIN CUTODY OF THEIR SON HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND A DECISION BY THE COURT MADE PUBLIC. ACCORDINGLY, AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, THE EMBASSY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS INQUIRE INTO THIS MATTER AND USE ITS GOOD OFFICES TO OBTAIN PERMISSION FOR THE STOENS TO REMAIN IN GUYANA FOR THE TIME NECESSRY TO COMPLETE THEIR LITIGATION.
–THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS THE ASSURANCES OF ITS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. END TEXT.
3. SEPTEL PROVIDING SITUATION REPORT FOLLOWS.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
UNCLASSIFIED
NNN