[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04352_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 04352 191850Z
ACTION ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SCS-06 CA-01 H-02 HEW-06 NSC-05 PA-02 /038 W
——————056196 192049Z /15
P 191745Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8497
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4352
FOR ARA/CAR
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CASC, GY, OREP (RYAN, LEO)
SUBJ: CALIFANO LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION IN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLES TEMPLE.
1. THE AMBASSADOR HAS SPOKEN DIRECTLY WITH THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION SHIRLEY FIELD-RIDLEY REGARDING A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF REVEREND JIM JONES BY SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE JOSEPH CALIFANO. MINISTER FIELD-RIDLEY STATES THAT DESPITE AN INTENSIVE REVIEW OF THE FILES IN HER MINISTRY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO UNCOVER A COPY OF SUCH A LETTER. THE ONLY REFERENCE TO SECRETARY CLAIFANO THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE IN THEIR FILES IS CONTAINED IN A COPY OF A HANDOUT PREPARED BY THE PEOPLES TEMPLE, A BOOKLET CONTAINING WHAT ARE PURPORTED TO BE QUOTES FROM CELEBRITIES ABOUT PEOPLES TEMPLE. THIS PAMPHLET IS ALREADY AVAILABLE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
UNCLASSIFIED
NNN