J l THE WHITE H O U SE ---- K Y E 5 U M L JPY --------------------------- W ASHINGTON J u l y 29 1964 M EM O R A N D U M F O R T H E R E C O R D SUBJECT B r i t i s h G u i a n a M e e t i n g - J u l y 27 1964 3 3 ct 0 P A R T I C I P A N T S W i l l i a m T y l e r H a r o l d Shullaw W i l l i a m Cobb R i c h a r d H elm s j M c G e o r g e Bundy P e t e r J e s s u p G ordon C hase 1 T h e m e e t i n g w a s c a l l e d to d i s c u s s the a t t a c h e d c a b l e f r o m G e o r g e t o w n T h e c a b l e r e p o r t e d C o n s u l G e n e r a l C a r l s o n 's a p p r e h e n s i o n a b o u t t e l l i n g Cheddi J a g a n w e a r e n o t r e a d y to r e c e i v e a n envoy 2 T h e g r o u p a g r e e d t h a t a v i s i t to the U S by a J a g a n e m i s s a r y w o u l d be a b a d th in g At w d r s t s u c h a v i s i t w ould be i n t e r p r e t e d to m e a n t h a t th e U S s u p p o r t s C h e d d i J a g a n a t b e s t it w o u ld be i n t e r p r e t e d a s a s i g n t h a t w e c a n l iv e w i t h h i m T h e v i s i t w o u l d h u r t the o p p o s i t i o n p a r t i e s in BG a n d w o u l d not help us dom estically 3 T h e g r o u p t h e n d i s c u s s e d w h e t h e r i t w o u ld be a d v i s a b l e to s e n d a l o w e r le v e l o f f i c i a l down to BG to t a l k to C he ddi J a g a n a s w e l l a s to th e tw o o p p o s i t i o n l e a d e r s T h e a d v a n t a g e s of t h i s w o u l d be t h a t w e w o u l d a p p e a r r e a s o n a b l e w illin g to l i s t e n a n d t h a t it m i g h t allo w u s to s t a l l f o r t i m e a n d r e d u c e the r a t e of v i o l e n c e in the m o n t h s b e t w e e n now a n d the BG e l e c t i o n s T h e m a i n d i s a d v a n t a g e i s t h a t a n y t a l k s w i t h J a g a n w i l l p r o b a b l y b e m i s i n t e r p r e t e d by the u n c o m m i t t e d v o t e r s in BG - - w h ic h n u m b e r a b o u t 10% s u c h t a l k s m i g h t i n d i c a t e tfcmrt to t h e s e v o t e r s t h a t p e r h a p s the U S d o e s not th in k C h e d d i is so b ad 4 T h e g r o u p a g r e e d t h a t J a g a n ' s r e q u e s t to s e n d a n e n v o y to th e U S s h o u ld be t u r n e d down a n d t h a t we s h o u ld not o f f e r to s e n d s o m e o n e down to BG H o w e v e r w e s h o u ld u s e m o r e g e n t l e w o r d i n g t h a n th e f la t a s s e r t i o n now u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n - - i e T h i s p r o p o s a l h a s b e e n i n f o r m a l l y d i s c u s s e d w ith th e A m e r i c a n s a n d th e y s e e no u s e f u l p u r p o s e f o r i t T h e r e f o r e it w o u ld be b e t t e r if the p r o p o s a l w e r e d r o p p e d I n s t e a d a m o r e f l e x ib l e p o s i t i o n s h o u l d be a d o p t e d w h ic h o f f e r s a quid p r o quo - - i e w h e n th e v io le n c e s t o p s we w ill r e c o n s i d e r th e p r o p o s a l The g r o u p d e c i d e d t h a t a c a b le s h o u ld be d r a f t e d in t h i s s e n s e a n d s e n t to London w ith a n i n f o r m a t i o n copy to G e o r g e t o w n copy a t t a c h e d SANITIZED E 0 13292 Sec 3 5 B y NARA Date 2 Gordon Chase -- S'D e R B T -a- B Y E S ONI C O PY LBJ LIBRA RY QBQRBT EYES ONLY TELEGRAM TO AMEHBASSY LONDON RPTD INFO AMCONSUL GEORGETOWN Request Babassy ask Colonial Office to modify Instructions to Governor regarding possible Jagan emissary as follows r This proposal has been informally discussed with the Americans k who see no useful purpose in it at this time The Americans are obviously influenced in this point of view b y continuing pattern of violence in British Guiana and widespread belief in British Guiana as elsewhere that PPP as governing party bears heavy responsibility this state of affairs Their subsequent attitude toward question of emissary nattfrally would be influenced by course of events in British V Guiana You may advise Colonial Office foregoing represents no change our position as outlined recent London talks but is designed solely avoid possible security repercussions forecast Carlson message repeated to you DECLASSIFIED E O 12958 See 3 6 NLJ 4-32g By rJ NAKA Datefc-7-91 eBeRET-EYES ONLI ' DAIf 2-J JULY oh JULY'2 23OOZ 6 RECD PRIORITY o o FROM C RUSON TO SHUILAW t IN 3' j522 o ' o o o ' ' V o o G O V E R N O R I N ' V U E D M E OVER L A T E A F T E R N O O N J U L Y 23 TO STATE t HE H A D R E C E I V E D I N S T R U C T I O N S INFORM JAGAN A L O N G F O L L O W I N G L I N E S ' RE P R O P O S A L SE N D ENVOY TO W A S H I N G T O N T H I S PROPOSAL' HAS BEEN I N F O R M A L L Y D I S C U S S E D W I T H T H E A M E R I C A N S AND T H E Y S E E - N O U S E F U L ' ' ' J P U R P O S E IN IT THEREFORE- IT W O U L D BE B E T T E R IF T HE P R O P O S A L ' ' WERE D R O P P E D I A SKED G O V E R N O R TO D E L A Y A C T I O N UNTIL W A S H I N G T O N V s C O U L D BE I N F O R M E D AND HE R E A D I L Y A G R E E D HOLD OFF F O R DAY OR T W O HE M E N T I O N E D THAT JAGAN HAS R E P E A T E D L Y BEEN A S K I N G A B O U T T H I S M A T T E R G O V E R N O R A D D E D THAT HIS R E L A T I O N S W I T H JAGAN R E C E N T L Y D E T E R I O R A T I N G FAST A P P A R E N T L Y FOR NO P A R T I C U L A R R E A S O N O T H E R -THAN P R E M I E R ' S f ' G R O W I N G S E N S E OF F R U S T R A T I O N -AND D E S P E R A T I O N J AGAN HAS ALSO oEEN PUTTING R E P E A T E D ' A N D U N U S U A L L Y H E A V Y P R E S S U R E O N G O V E R N O R ' TO USE E M E R G E N C Y POWERS F O R C E POLL OF U N I O N S IN S U G A R INDUSTRY L E A V I N G T I M C N G Or P O L L - T A K I N G E N T I R E L Y TO G O V E R N O R - T H E R E I S'LITTLE OR N O P R O S P E C T G O V E R N O R A C C E E D I N G COGENT BELIEVE DEPT SHOULD TAKE FULLY INTO ACCOUNT POTENTIAL EFFiECT ON J AGAN R E G I M E O F V S E I N G I N F O R M E D A C C O R D I N G G O V E R N O R ' S INSTiiUCV1O N S T H E R E H A S ' B E E N N O T I C E A B L E L A C K OF C R I T I C I S M SANITIZED E 0 13292 Sec 3 5 NLJ 0 4 - i t f Bv-4GBP L NARA Date X 'J i- 'ffS ' E o COPY LBJ LIBRARY S S R K T 5- C C l i f t PAGE 2 N 35522 SUCH LESS AMY ATTACK ON U S BY REGIME SINCE J A G A N ' S PEACE FEELER I EVEN MIRROR REPEAT MIRROR SEEMS TO HAVE DROPPED U S ' ' FROM ITS LIST OF PRIMARY TARGETS AND FOUND LITTLE OR NO OCCASION TAKE USUAL JIBES AT US TT HAS BEEN NQTSD THAT JAGAN REGIME HAS ' o o ' CAREFULLY AVOIDED TAKING ADVANTAGE SEVERAL OPENINGS o FOR - EXAMPLE WHEN P A G A N ' S PRESS OFFICER COMPLAINED VOICE OF AMERICA 1x CARRIED BIASED ACCOUNT RE SINKING OF LAUNCH AND USIS OFFICER it ' ' SUBSEQUENTLY STATED VOA CARRIED REUTERS ACCOUNTS MIRROR REPEAT MIRROR DENOUNCED REUTERS AND BBC FOR CARRYING BUT OMITTED ANY M E N T I O N It 1 oi VOA WHICH INCIDENTALLY JAGAN HABITUALLY LISTENS T O LIKEWISE ' JAGAN REGIME HAS FAILED TAKE UP ALLEGATIONS OF BRITISH LABOR MP o EDUARD A30VE TACTIC WILL MOST LIKELY CHANGE COMPLETELY ONCE J A G A N ' S LAST FAINT HOPE OF PEACE WITH U S IS DASHED BY G O V E R N O R ' S MESSAGE TOEFFECT THAT'U S WILL I NOT EVEN LISTEN ' J 1 '' V THEN U S ' WILL BECOME PRINCIPAL VILLAIN JAGAN STILL TELLS VISITORS U S ' i IS KEY TO HIS TROUBLES AND DID SO LAST WEEK TO VISITING FRENCH 1 ' CONSUL GENERAL FROM PEURTO RICO IT SHOULD BE EXPECTED THAT ' ' JAGAN LIKELY MAKE VIOLENT DENUNCIATION OF US AND PROBABLY OF CONGEN AtlD DEMANDS FOR REMOVAL OR CONCEIVABLY CLOSING OF POST ' THIS ATTACK WILL BE' TAKEN UP BY PARTY APPARATUS CLAIMS MAY BE ADVANCED THAT 1 9 US AGENTS PLOTTED'AND DIRECTED DESECRATION OF PPP SHRINE BY BOMBING FREEDOM HOUSE AND THAT U S HAS ALIGNED ITSELF WITH AFRICANS VJHO ARE KILLING INDIANS- THERE' IS LIKELY ENSUE INSPIRED OR PERHAPS DIRECTED HARRASSMENT AND PHYSICAL ATTACK ON U S PERSONNEL RITT COPY LBJ LIBRARY HOUSES# AND OFFICES PROBABLY BOMBS AND ARSON i o o - o QUESTION THEREFORE ARISES WHETHER ANY CONSIDERATION SHOULD i BE GIVEN TO KEEPING JAGAN SLIGHTLY ON HOOK BY FOR EXAMPLE A FINDING PRETEXT DELAY1 ANY MEETING UNTIL LATE AUGUST B THEN SUGGESTING THAT TO AVOID PUBLICITY HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL WHO IS ON WAY ELSEWHERE WILL STOP BY GEORGETOWN SOMETIME'IN ' SEPTEMBER AND TALK WITH ALL THREE LEADERS AND C FOR SUCH OFFICIAL TO TELL JAGAN WE'WILL THINK ABOUT HIS PROPOSITIONS I F VIOLENCE SUBSIDES SIGNIFICANTLY BUT IN ABSENCE SUCH DEVELOPMENT THERE SEEMS LITTLE POINT AT THIS L ATEDATE TO CONSIDER ACCEPTANCE ASSURANCES WHICH MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE OF IMPLEMENTATION IF REGIME CAN EXERCISE NO DISCERNIBLE MODERATING INFLUENCE OVER INDIAN' COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE SECURITY -o o o ' ' ' o o oo THIS TYPE OF TACTIC HOWEVER ' WHICH WOULD BE DESIGNED ONLY V BUY TIME HAS SERIO' JS DISADVANTAGES E G RISK'OF CREATING o CONFUSION AMD DOUBTS AMONG OPPOSITION AND PUBLIC UNLESS M O S T CAREFULLY HANDLED ' o THEREFORE IF DEPT SHOULD DECIDE ACCEDE TO GOVERNOR'S PENDING MOVE CONGEN WILL'BATTEN DOWN HATCHES AND HOPE FOR THE BEST o ' ' v S S C ft i V ' t V ' f' ' LIBRARY i C C -a-E T -V '4 LBJL NSF Intel Files Box 5 Folder British Guiana Special File This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu