[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04284_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 04284 141859Z
ACTION SCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ARA-15 ISO-00 CA-01 L-03 H-02 SS-15 SSO-00 /043 W
——————006934 141901Z /43
O 141835Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8462
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4284
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO), GY
SUBJ: WELFARE/WHEREABOUTS: PAYMENT OF SUBSISTENCE AND LODGING FOR PEOPLES TEMPLE SURVIVORS.
1. WITHIN THE LAST THREE DAYS THE AMBASSADOR HAS SEPARATELY RAISED WITH MINISTERS GREEN, MINGO (HOME AFFAIRS, AND JACKSON (FOREIGN AFFAIRS), THE QUESTION OF JUST WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA WILL TAKE OVER THE PAYMENT OF SUBSISTENCE AND LODGING COSTS FOR THOSE PEOPLES TEMPLE SURVIVORS WHICH IT WANT TO REMAIN IN COUNTRY AS MATERIAL WITNESSES. IN HIS MOST RECENT CONVERSATION WITH JACKSON DEC. 14, AMBASSADOR WAS TOLD THAT THE GOG “HOPES WITHIN A DAY” TO TAKE A FINAL DECISION IN THE MATTER AND WILL BE NOTIFYING THE EMBASSY AND THE SURVIVORS. IN THE CASE OF THOSE ASKED TO REMAIN JACKSON SAID THE GOG WOULD THEN IMMEDIATELY ASSUME THEIR LODGING AND SUBSISTENCE COSTS.
2. AMBASSADOR THANKED THE FOREIGN MINISTER FOR THE FOREGOING INFORMATION AND SAID THAT HE WOULD BE WAITING TO RECEIVE THE GOG LIST AS SOON AS IT WAS AVAILABLE.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
UNCLASSIFIED
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