SEDNEY-BURNHAM JOINT COMMUNIQUE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000700070004-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 1, 2012
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: June 29, 1970
• Content Type: CABLE

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FROM AMembassy GEORGETOWN DATE: june 29,t270
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SUBJECT: Sedney-Burnham joint Communique
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Nailed by:
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'-"Mrances:
The reference cable summarized the results of the official
visit to Guyana by Prime Minister Sedney June 24-27.
Enclosed are copies of the joint communique issued at the
end of the visit and Prime Minister Sedney's opening
statement at his June 27 press conference. The joint
communique announces the "immediate demilitarization"
of the disputed Upper Corentyne region, the establishment
of a permanent Surinam-Guyana Commission, plans to open
a Surinamese Consulate General in Georgetown "at an early
date", and a return official visit to Surinam by Prime
Minister Burnham in October.
09ou
End:
Joint Communique
Sedney Press Statement
L_
FORM
DS-323
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LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
FOR DEPT. USE ONLY
in Li Out
Contents and Classification Approved by:
AMB:SMKing
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1. At the end of my four days visit to your country, I feel obliged to
express my sincere gratitude for the hospitality granted to me and my wife
by the peqple of Guyana.
I am grateful to Primo Minister Forbes Burnham for the invitation he has
extended to me at the end of our first meeting in April at Chaguaramas in
Trinidad.
I still remember the reserve with which we not at the beginning of our talks.
I also remembur the warm atmosphere which care to exist at the end of the
talks, which I attribute to the fact that immediately after our talks began
it became clear that the policy of both our Governments were in many respects
'alike and that we both were eager to end the unnatural tension that existed
at that time between the peoples of our respective countries.
I feel happy that since April the consultations between our respective
Governments have been fruitful and that I have been able to pay an official
visit to Guyana so shortly after the agreement of 6aguaramas.
Although I had the feeling that I would get a cordial welcome, I must
confess that what my wife and I have experienced during the past four days
exceeded all our expectations.
The hospitality we have received from your President and Mrs. Chung, the happy
expressions which faoed us and the enthusiasm of the young people have deeply
moved us.
2. As you know working groups have been established after the agreement
of ChagUararns with the responsibility to prepare plans for the demilitarisation
of the Upper-,Corantyne area and to inventorise the areas in which practical
cooperation between Guyana and Surinam is desirable.
The working parties have made recOmmendations to their respective Governments
and Prime Minister Burnham and myself have during our discussions in the
past four days reached full agreement on the procedures to be followed in
the future.
We have decided to forthwith completely demilitarise the Upper-Corantyne
area.
The areas of cooperation appeared to be many and to promote clear understanding
I should like to distinguish 'in the areas in which practical cooperation can
forthwith be realised whereby I refer especially to cooperation in the
cultural field, the exchange of technicians, training of personnel and
sports.
In the second place there are areas of cooperation which require detailed
technical preparation before the cooperation can be carried out effectively.
Dxamples are the providing of a ferry service for passengers and vehicles
between New Nickorie and Springlands, establishment of airlinks between
Georgetown and Paramaribo to be maintained by our own nationdl carriers and
improvement of tele-communication connections between the two countries
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The third category of areas of cooperation _Itlates to matters in which
further development of policy by the respective Governments is necessary
and in which furthor eXploration should still be carrieglo determine in
? which form this cooperation should take place and how this is to fit in
the planning and economic context and relations of the two countries.
? As you know Surinam is associated with the European Gammon Market and it is
clear that an extensive study is required in order to determine what the
consequences are of closer trade relationSwith Guyana, being a menber of
CARZTA.
My Government in of the opinion that our cooperation should be based on
the needof both countries to support each other in their efforts for an
optical development of their national resources.
It is necessary to explore whether it is advisable to promote development
projects which Light be in the interest of all three GuYanas.
Of course this has its consequences for the planning in both countries'. In
'Surinam as well as in Guyana Government policy is now focussed on planning.
In planning the problem of assigning priorities between alternatives is
central regarding the goals desired as well as allocation of the available
resourees and means.
Planning is equal to choice of future and I am convinced that it is a
fortunate circumstance that both our Governments are prepared to take into
consideration each others interests Qiukt'.;v1iIfw.44114.
3. I should have failed if I did not use this opportunity to express
that py Government has high appreciation for the work dons by the Permanent
Representative Of Guyana in Surinam since his appointment.
Having experienced this and taking in consideration our sincere desire to
give a real meaning to our renewed relations, my Government has deeided to
establish a similar Permanent Representation in Georgetown at an early date.
Finally I can inform you that I an very pleased by the fact that
Prime Minister Burnham has today accepted py invitation to him to pay an
official visit to Surinam in October and I hope that many of you who have
not already paid a visit to Surinam at an earlier date will accompany him.
Press Statement by. the
Minister President of Surinam,
DR. JULES SEDMEY,
27TH J1JNE0970 ?
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Official Vitt of Prix.? Ktnister Jules
Sedney of Surinam to Guyana
IMI??? .10 MP
Communique
At the invitation of the Prime Minister of Guyana, the
Hon. L.F.S. Burnham, the Prime Minister of Surinam, the Hon. Jules
Sedney, and Mrs. Sedney paid an official visit te Guyana from June
24 to June 27, 1970. The invitation from the Prime Minister of
Guyana had been issued to Dr. Sedney at the conclusion of the
discussions held between the two Prime Ministers at Crow's Nest,
Chaguaramas in Trinidad and Tobago during April 1970.
On his visit to Guyana, Dr. Sedney was accompanied by
Mr. A. Kemperveen, Chairman, Parliamentary Boundary Commission,
Dr. L. MUngra, Chairman, Parliamentary Committee for External
Affairs, Mr. H.R. Lim-A-Po, Chairman and Leader of Surinam Working
Party and Mr. K. Soriman, Parliamentary Leader of the Indonesian
Party S R I.
Throughout the visit, Prime Minister Sedney and Mrs.
Sedney were guests of His Excellency the President and Mrs. Chung
at Guyana House. They attended a State Dinner at Guyana House
given by the President and Mrs. Chung, and were guests at a
Reception in their honour given by the Prime Minister and Mrs.
Burnham. During their stay they visited the bauxite operations
at Mackenzie, Kaieteur Falls, the Skeldon/Springlands area in
Berbice and the University of Guyana campus at TUrkeyen.
The two Prime Ministers held several discussions Which
covered a wide field of subjects and at the conclusion of the visit
they issued a Joint Declaration in the following terms:-
"JOINT DECLARATION
The Governments of Surinam and Guyana, inspired by
the ideals of international co-operation and the peaceful
settlement of controversies, have decided to strengthen the
historic and traditional bonds of friendship between Surinam
and Ouyana by active co-operation in the spheres of economic,
social and cultural development and by the resolute pursuit
of all practical means for the peaceful settlement of
difficulties.
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2. In so doing, the two Governments recognised that
in,additign to the bonds of geography, Surinam and Guyana
shared a common :historical and.cultural background and
possessed similar natural. resources and economic potential
to the accelerated development_of which each Government was
committed.
3. To these ends; the Prime Minister of Guyana and
the Prime Minister of Surinam agreed to place on a permanent
basis the joint examination of ways and means of effecting
co-operation in matters of common interest between Surinam
and Guyana in the economic, social and cultural fields and
of peacefully resolving all outstanding difficulties and
situations which might endanger friendship and good
neighbourliness between the two countries.
4. To achieve these purposes the Prime Ministers
exchanged views on the establishment of a standing Surinam/
Guyana Commission and accepted, in principle, the conclusion
of an Agreement between their respective Governments for the
creation and functioning of the Commission. The Prime
Ministers envisaged that the Commission would take over the
responsibilities previously entrusted to the ad hoc Working
Parties established as a result of their earlier meeting in
Trinidad and Tobago in April 1970 and expressed their appre-
ciation of the work already done by those bodies in advancing
the cause of co-operation and friendly relations between the
two countries.
5. .The Prime Ministers recognised that in many areas
of co-operation there will be need for patient and continuous
effort. They were heartened, however, by the fact that the
initial efforts of the Working Parties had already identified
a significant number of areas of practical co-operation between
the two countries including development planning, trade, geology,
mining and processing of minerals, hydro-power, mopping and
surveying, forestry, conservation of natural resources, soil
surveys, river and air communication, telecommunications,
agriculture, livestock and fisheries and, not least, cultural
and educational relations. The Prime Ministers expressed the
,hope that the Commission will carry forward the work thus
begun with oil practical expedition.
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6, The Prime Ministers also reviewed the work that
had been dime since their previous meeting on the question
of demilitarisation of the border area in the region of the
Upper Corentyne They recognised the importance of achieving
demilitarisation as rapidly as possible ane., with this in
view, and in the spirit of friendship and understanding
that characterised their discussions and motivated the
policies of their Governments, the Prime Ministers agreed
upon the immediate demilitarisation by both countries of
their respective presences in the region.
7. The Prime Minister of Guyana indicated to the
Prime Minister of Surinam that pursuant to their meeting
in Trinidad and Tobago and even prior to the meeting of
the Working Party on demilitarisation, his Government had
taken steps to withdraw military personnel from a number
of points in the repion of the Upper Corentyne. With the
removal of remainina Guyana one Surinam military personnel
from the region which the Prime Ministers agreed to uneer-
take forthwith, the demilitarisation envisaged in their
communique of April 1970 would have been effected.
8. The Prime Ministers recognised, however, that mere
demilitarisation was not enough and that mare positive efforts
must be pursued to secure a lasting reduction of tension cine
avoidance of incidents in the region ane to finally resolve
those issues which have in the past produced them.
9. 76 this end, they agreed that gSpecial Committee
of the Surinam/Guyana Commission shall be charged with the
responsibility of continuing the discussions which were
adjourned in London in June 196, and that, pending the
completion of this work, the Committee shall, throuph'
procedures to be agreed, exercise special fact-finding
functions in relation to sources of lieNIrmony in the
region of the Upper Corentyne with a view to ensuring
that such situations do not disturb friendly relations
between the two Governments or prejudice the effective
operation of programmes of co-operation agreed upon:3
10. In agreeing upon these arrangements, the Prime
Ministers expressly reiterated that it was the policy of
both Governments that their relations shall be conducted
on the basis of tolerance, restraint and mutual respect
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and that in the resolution of all problems between them
there shall be, row,rt anly to peaceful means one machinery
of settlement,
11. Conscious that direct representation in each
other's Capital waule materially advance the cause of
friendly ,relations between the two countries and the pro-
grammes of co-operation agreed upon, the Prime Minister of
Guyana welcomed the indication given by the Prime Minister
I
of Surinam that there would be established at an early date
a Consulate-General in Georgetown.
12. The Prime Ministers expressed the hope that the
agreements reached as a result of their cordial cnd con-
structive discussions will provide a lasting basis for the
strengtheninp of the bonds of friendship between Surinam
and Guyana to which both Governments have renewed their
commitment.
13. Finally, the Prime Minister of Surinam, on behalf
of his Government, extended a cordial invitation to the
Prime Minister of Guyana to visit Surinam in October, 197n."
MINISTRY or EXTERNAL APFAIRS,
Georgetown, Guyana.
27 June, 1970.
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