[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE029903_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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ORIGIN SCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ARA-10 ISO-00 CA-01 SSO-00 L-03 H-01 HA-05 /027 R
DRAFTED BY CA/SCS/FLHENNEKE/MRER
APPROVED BY CA/SCS/SADOBRENCHUK
CA/SCS/EAPOWERS CA/SCS/RLRIVERA
DESIRED DISTRIBUTION
ARA/CAR/FTUMMINIA
——————043792 040344Z /65
P 040233Z PEB 78
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY
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E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC (STOEN, JOHN VICTOR)
SUBJECT: W/W JOHN VICTOR STOEN
REF: GEORGETOWN 0406 AND PREVIOUS
1. DEPARTMENT APPRECIATES ASSESSMENT CONTAINED REFTEL AND CONCURS IN EMBASSY’S BELIEF THAT APPROACH TO GOG RE ENFORCEMENT OF ANY DECISION ON CUSTODY OF JOHN VICTOR NOT APPROPRIATE, AT LEAST UNTIL CUSTODY IS AWARDED. TO ALLEGATIONS OF EITHER SIDE THAT EMBASSY AND DEPARTMENT ARE BIASED IN FAVOR OF OPPONENT, DEPARTMENT POINTS OUT EMBASSY’S MEETINGS WITH BOTH PARTIES AND STRICT NEUTRALITY AS TO THE MERITS OF THE CASE IN REFUTING SUCH CHARGES.
2. QUESTION HAS BEEN RAISED AS TO JOHN VISTORS [VISITORS] AL’WHL [Unknown word]
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PHYSICAL PRESENCE IN GUYANA. WITHOUT INVESTIGATION WHICH WOULD RAISE QUESTION OF BIAS, CAN EMBASSY PROVIDE ANY CONCRETE EVIDENCE THAT STOEN IS INDEED AT PEOPLE’S TEMPLE?
VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]
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