[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04399_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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GEORGE 04399 211150Z
ACTION L-03
INFO OCT-01 ARA-11 ISO-00 SCS-06 CA-01 FBIE-00 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 JUSE-00 TRSE-00 EUR-12 SSO-00 NSCE-00 INRE-00 /044 W
——————092085 211155Z /20
O 201855Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8519
INFO AMEMBASSY BERN IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PANAMA IMMEDIATE
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C O R R E C T E D C O P Y TEXT (PARA ONE)
.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CASC, GY, PEOPLES TEMPLE
SUBJ: PROTECTION OF U.S. INTERESTS VIS-A-VIS PEOPLES TEMPLE ASSESTS IN GUYANA.
REF: STATE 319402
1. UPON RECEIPT REFTEL AMBASSADOR OBTAINED APPOINTMENT WITH FOREIGN MINISTER RASHLEIGH JACKSON IN ORDER TO PRESENT HIM WITH THE NOTE, TEXT OF WHICH HAD BEEN FURNISHED IN REFTEL. AMBASSADOR REVIEWED ORALLY WITH THE FORMIN THE PRINCIPAL POINTS OF THE NOTE, EMPHASIZING PARTICULARLY THE USG INTEREST IN MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE NOTE WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF ALL APPROPRIATE AGENCIES WITHIN THE GOG. AS ANTICIPATED FORMIN JACKSON DID NOT APPEAR TO BE WILLING OR PREPARED TO DISCUSS SUBSTANCE OF NOTE. HE PROMISED THAT IT WOULD BE STUDIED WITHIN THE GOG BY ALL INTERESTED ELEMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT.
2. AMBASSADOR ALSO INFORMED JACKSON (WHO, IN THE ABSENCE
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OF MINISTER HAMILTON GREEN, IS CHAIRMAN OF THE GOG CABINET-LEVEL COMMITTEE ON JONESTOWN) THAT THE HELICOPTER SUPPORT THAT HAD BEEN PROVIDED DURING DURING THE LAST MONTH, WOULD BE WITHDRAWN IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
3. EMBASSY WOULD DRAW THE ATTENTION OF THE DEPARTMENT TO THE FACT THAT REFTEL DOES NOT ADDRESS THOSE PORTIONS OF GEORGETOWN 4316 DEALING WITH PT ASSETS IN GEORGETOWN INCLUDING THE RESIDENCE IN LAMAHA GARDENS, THE VARIOUS CRATES ON THE DOCKS, AND THE MOTOR VESSEL “CUDJOE” WHICH IS NOW BEING HELD IN GEORGETOWN BY THE GOG. AS DEPARTMENT IS AWARE, CONSULAR SEALS WERE PLACED ON VARIOUS PEOPLES TEMPLE CRATES DISCOVERED ON THE DOCKS SINCE THE INCIDENT AT JONESTOWN. WE HAVE NOT AS YET ATTEMPTED TO ASSERT ANY CONTROL OVER THE PEOPLES TEMPLE-OWNED RESIDENCE IN LAMAHA GARDENS, VEHICLES WHICH MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, OR THE PEOPLES TEMPLE-OWNED MOTOR VESSEL. WE ARE PROBABLY APPROACHING THE MOMENT WHEN MR. FORTUNE SHOULD RETURN TO GEORGETOWN TO ASSIST AND ADVISE US ON THE QUESTIONS.
4. PLEASE ADVISE.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
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