[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04285_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 04285 170601Z
ACTION PA-02
INFO OCT-01 ARA-15 ISO-00 SS-15 SP-02 /035 W
——————031635 171051Z /14
R 151120Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8466
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4285
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: OREP (RYAN, LEO), GY
SUBJ: SPACE FOR US PRESS ON USA HELICOPTERS
REF: STATE 313253
1. EMBASSY POLICY HAS BEEN THAT GUYANESE GOVERNMENT THROUGH MININFO SHOULD DETERMINE ALOCATION OF SPACE AVAILABLE SEATS ON ANY HELICOPTER FLIGHTS AFTER OFFICIAL NEEDS MET AND THAT THIS SHOULD BE DONE ON SOME EQUITABLE BASIS SUCH AS A POOL OR FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVED.
2. “NY TIMES” HORROCK, WHO APPARENTLY MISSED REPORT ON DEC 13 INQUEST WHICH APPEARED IN PREVIOUS DAY’S MORNING “CHORONICLE,” ASKED EMBASSY FOR ASSISTANCE MID-DAY DEC 12. APPARENTLY HE HAD ALREADY REQUESTED HIS PAPER TO SEEK DEPARTMENT HELP. HORROCK WAS GIVEN INFORMATION REGARDING REQUIREMENT FOR GOG PERMISSION, AND PAO MADE REPRESENTATIONS WITH CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER TO EXPEDITE PROCESS. EMBOFF GAVE HIM INFORMATION REGARDING CHARTERING PRIVATE AIRCRAFT. HORROCK DID IN FACT CHARTER PRIVATE AIRCRAFT AND RETURNED TO GEORGETOWN BEFORE END OF INQUEST DEC 13 ON SAME AIRCRAFT. HIS FELLOW “TIMES” MAN FOLLOWED IN USA HELICOPTER ON SPACE AVAILABLE WITH OFFICIAL PARTY FROM MATTHEWS RIDGE.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
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