INCIDENT IN BORDER AREA IN DISPUTE BETWEEN SURINAM AND GUYANA

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP08C01297R000700070013-6
Release Decision: 
RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
2
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
October 1, 2012
Sequence Number: 
13
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
December 21, 1967
Content Type: 
CABLE
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP08C01297R000700070013-6.pdf115.99 KB
Body: 
AJ-6, 11 \\' CM. Cnk [-Z.1/1.7.7:16 f-1ii Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/02 : CIA-RDP08001297R600700070013-6 -17 atral 4arl LIU %-?.11 LYS atil eaVelt1 FOR U E ONLY 11- 7 4n.vm ARA 1 !NEA REP AF EUR FE CU 10 AGR FB0 COM AID FRB INT LAB TAR TR XMB J ARMY CIA 050 USIA NSA ;-? ,e -1MTM7Iy. A-44 UNCLASSIFIED NO. TO : DEPARTMENT OF STATE INFO : GEORGETOWN, THE HAGUE FROM : Amconsul PARAMARIBO HANDLING INDICA TOR DATE; December 21, 1967 SUBJECT: Incident in Border Area in Dispute Between Surinam and Guyana REF : Paramaribo 0186 r_ -1 On or about December 13 armed Guyana policemen appeared at a hydrographic metering post operated by Surinam employees of the Waterpower Bureau in the southwestern disputed area, .stated the Surinamers were in Guyanese terri- tory and told them to pack up and leave, saying they would return at a later date to verify their departure. The location of this incident is at or near the confluence of the Oronoque Creek and the ?river called "Upper Corantyne" on Surinam maps but "Niewe" on other maps, including those issued by the Department. The west bank of the Corantyne River constitutes the agreed boundary between Surinam and. Guyana. The crux of the dispute in the southwestern area is what stream forms a part there of the Corantyne system. The Surinam Government immediately brought the matter to the attention of the Netherlands .Foreign Office and, we are informed, Minister LUNS made inquiry of the Guyana High CommiSsioner in London _concerning the incident. Surinam officials profess puzzlement at the Guyanese action, noting that . the installation in question is Cnly a water gauge which is visited periodically to take readings ars C which has been in place for a consider- able period of time. The genera] opinion seems to be that this incident must be construed as a Guyanese reaction to the recent visit of Minister- President PENGEL to Caracas (A,41). 1.,4-/t/ The local press on December 19 carried an item from Georgetown stating that in well informed circles there it was assumed that there would be a meeting shortly between Minister-President Pengel and Prime Minister BURNHAM with a view to preventing relations between the two countries from deteriorating. Pengel was reported as having stated in the Staten that such a meeting was not out of the question, adding that in his opinion L_ _J FORM 4-52 DS -3 UNCLASSIFIED FOR 9PT. USE ONLY ' flOut EDKupp Ler:iw 12-21-67 contents an assi 'cation move CG:EDKuppinaer Clearances: Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/02 : CIA-RDP08001297R000700070013-6 ' vs. - - - ' -1 77i7s`r?'7-7717"R",777,77 Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/02 : CIA-RDP08001297R000700070013-6 A-44 from Paramaribo UNCLASSIFIED 2 Guyana had made a serious blunder and that the Surinam Government intended to take all measures to determine the question once and for all whether the area in question was Surinam territory or nott, (Although this is ,a matter within the reserved area of foreign affairs, the Netherlands Government has delegated authority to Surinam to carry on discussions with Guyana concern? ing border matters.) -The incident has been played in low key in the preps thus far and is discussed in official circles without heat or bombast. Nevertheless there is complete unanimity within the various political parties and the population in general with respect to what is considered the validity of Surinam claims in the disputed area, ,Judging froth the Guyana Graphic, which arrives here on a delayed basis, the Guyana press is giving the incident much More play than is the case with the Surinam press. KUPPINGER UNCLASSIFIED' Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/02 : CIA-RDP08C01297R000700070013-6