[Editor’s note: he text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE03992_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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GEORGE 03992 291255Z
ACTION SS-25
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SSO-00 /026 W
——————130812 291258Z /46
O 291245Z NOV 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 8254
C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 3992
EXDIS
FOR DEP. ASST. SECRETARY BUSHNELL
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN), GY
SUBJ: OFFER OF U.S. ASSISTANCE TO GOG IN ITS CRIMINAL EXAMINATION OF EVIDENCE RELATING TO THE DEATH OF CONGRESSMAN RYAN AND MASS MURDERS/SUICIDES AT JONESTOWN.
REF: GEORGETOWN 3961 AND PREVIOUS.
1. MINISTER GREEN CALLED ME AT 0830 THIS MORNING TO INFORM ME THAT GOG HAD AGREED IN CABINET TO ACCEPT USG OFFER CONTAINED IN STATE 299097 THAT TECHNICAL EXPERTS TRAVEL TO GEORGETOWN TO ASSIST GOG IN ITS EXAMINATION OF EVIDENCE HELD BY THE EMBASSY AND THE GOG RELATING TO THE ASSASSINATION OF CONGRESSMAN RYAN AND THE MURDERS/SUICIDES AT JONESTOWN. IN CONVEYING HIS GOVERNMENT’S APPROVAL HE ASKED THAT ANY PUBLICITY REGARDING THIS TEAM AND ITS MISSION BE COORDINATED IN ADVANCE WITH THE GOG IN VIEW OF LOCAL SENSITIVITIES. I TOLD MINISTER GREEN THAT I WOULD IMMEDIATELY INFORM THE USG OF GOG’S DECISION ALONG WITH ITS CONCERN ABOUT ANY PUBLICITY RELATED TO THE TECHNICAL TEAM’S VISIT. I PROMISED TO INFORM HIM AS SOON AS ARRIVAL INFORMATION ON THE TEAM IS AVAILABLE, AND PROMISED FURTHER THAT AS SOON AS THE TEAM ARRIVED,
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THEY WOULD BE INTRODUCED AT ONCE TO WHICHEVER OFFICIALS HE MIGHT DESIGNATE SO THAT THEY COULD IMMEDIATELY BEGIN THEIR WORK.
2. IF THIS COOPERATIVE EFFORT IS TO ACHIEVE OPTIMUM SUCCESS I BELIEVE IT ESSENTIAL THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PREMATURE ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE TEAM’S COMING AND THAT WHATEVER PUBLICITY IS GIVEN THE TEAM BE CLEARED WITH THE GOG IN ADVANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE NAMES AND ETA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
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