[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE309310_d.html.]
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STATE 309310 ORIGIN ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-05 H-01 INR-10 L-03 NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 SP-02 SS-15 ICA-11 HA-05 /074 R
DRAFTED BY ARA/CAR: R MCCOY:KC
APPROVED BY ARA/CAR:A HEWITT
ARA:VPVAKY
ARA:BRANDON
ARA:J BUSHNELL
——————062181 081352Z /45
R 080244Z DEC 78
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
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E.O. 12065: N/A
TAGS: PFOR, GY, US
SUBJECT: GUYANESE AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS RE. PEOPLES TEMPLE
1. GUYANESE EMBASSY, DCM HALDER INFORMED DESK OFFICER TODAY (NOVEMBER 30) THAT GUYANESE AMBASSADOR MANN HAD CALLED ON THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, O’NEILL, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE, ZABLOCKI, ON NOVEMBER 29 TO EXPRESS CONDOLENCES FOR THE TRAGIC DEATH OF CONGRESSMAN RYAN ON BEHALF OF GOG AND TO EXPLAIN GOG’S POSITION REGARDING ITS CONTACTS WITH THE PEOPLES TEMPLE.
2. MANN TOLD O’NEILL AND ZABLOCKI THAT MANY VISITS WERE MADE TO JONESTOWN BY BOTH LOCAL AND GEORGETOWN
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BASED OFFICIALS OF VARIOUS MINISTRIES AND NO IRREGULARITIES WERE NOTED NOR DID ANY JONESTOWN INHABITANTS EVER COMPLAIN ABOUT CONDITIONS. HALDER MENTIONED THAT MANN MADE THE POINT TO BOTH CONGRESSMEN THAT THE EMBASSY AND GOG CONSULTED INFORMALLY ON QUESTION OF MISTREATMENT OF TEMPLE MEMBERS BUT NO CORROBORATING INFORMATION WAS EVER DEVELOPED TO WARRANT AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION BY GOG NOR DID EMBASSY REQUEST GOG TO INVESTIGATE.
3. DESK OFFICER ESSENTIALLY AGREED WITH HALDER THAT ‘MANN’S ASSERTION WAS CORRECT WITH ONE CAVEAT THAT THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS IN GOG WHO WERE SUSPICIOUS OF JONES BUT UNFORTUNATELY, LACKED ANY SUBSTANTIATING EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ARGUMENTS THAT GOG CONDUCT OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO TEMPLE ACTIVITIES.
VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]
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