[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 86 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/1978STATE296138_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 01
STATE 296138
ORIGIN ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SS-15 NSCE-00 PA-01 FBIE-00 H-01
SSO-00 CA-01 CPR-02 /036 R
DRAFTED BY ARA/CAR – ACHEWITT:LEE
APPROVED BY ARA – JBUSHNELL
S/S- TMARTIN
——————026709 230040Z /66
O R 230002Z NOV 78
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY CARACAS
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 296138
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO), GY
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MANN’S CALL ON ACTING SECRETARY
1. THE AMBASSADOR OF GUYANA CALLED ON THE ACTING SECRETARY [Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher] TODAY IN ORDER TO EXPRESS THE CONDOLENCES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF GUYANA OVER THE TRAGIC DEATH OF CONGRESSMAN RYAN AND SOME OF HIS PARTY, AND OVER THE DEATHS OF SOME 400 AMERICAN CITIZENS AT JONESTOWN. HE SAID THAT THE FACT THAT THOSE WHO DIED WERE MOSTLY AMERICANS IN NO WAY DIMINISHED THE SENSE OF SHOCK AND LOSS FELT BY THE GUYANESE AT THIS SENSELESS WASTE OF HUMAN LIFE. HE PLEDGED THE FULLEST COOPERATION OF HIS GOVERNMENT IN LOCATING AND ASSISTING ANY SURVIVORS OF THE EVENTS AT JONESTOWN, TRANSFERRING THE REMAINS OF THE DECEASED TO THE UNITED STATES, AND INSOFAR AS POSSIBLE BRINGING THE PERPETRATORS OF THIS OUTRAGE TO JUSTICE. THE ACTING SECRETARY EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE CONDOLENCES EXTENDED BY THE AMBASSADOR, THANKED HIM FOR THE OUTSTANDING COOPERATION
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OF HIS GOVERNMENT TO DATE, AND INDICATED THAT WE LOOKED FORWARD TO CONTINUED COOPERATION FOR THE DURATION OF THE CURRENT CRISIS. HE ASKED THE AMBASSADOR TO REQUEST HIS GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER AN EARLIER DECISION NOT TO PERMIT AN FBI TEAM TO ENTER GUYANA TO ASSIST IN THE INVESTIGATION. HE POINTED OUT THE SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FBI IN CASES OF ASSASSINATION OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF CRIMES UNDER US LAW BY PERSONS IN THE US CONNECTED WITH THE EVENTS IN GUYANA. HE ASSURED THE AMBASSADOR THAT THE FBI TEAM WOULD WORK IN CONJUNCTION AND FULL COOPERATION WITH THE GUYANESE AUTHORITIES. THE AMBASSADOR AGREED TO ASK HIS GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER THE DECISION. AFTER THE MEETING THE AMBASSADOR VISITED THE OPERATIONS CENTER WHERE THE GUYANA TASK FORCE CONTINUES TO FUNCTION AROUND THE CLOCK AND WAS GIVEN A BRIEFING ON THE CURRENT SITUATION.
CHRISTOPHER [Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher]
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