INCIDENT IN BORDER AREA IN DISPUTE BETWEEN SURINAM AND GUYANA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• 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
• Publication Date: December 21, 1967
• Content Type: CABLE

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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
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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
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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