BOUNDARY DISPUTE BETWEEN SURINAM AND BRITISH GUIANA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000700070015-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 1, 2012
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: April 29, 1966
• Content Type: CABLE

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Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/02 : CIA-RDP08001297R000700070015-4 i-SP7C
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ANALYSIS & BISTRIBUTION
BRANCH
DATE: April 29, 1966
INT LAS TAR SUBJECT: Boundary Dispute Between Surinam and British Guiana
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There is given below, in informal translation, the text of a
statement on the question of the boundary dispute between
Surinam and British GUiana presented to the Staten by Prime -
Minister Johan PENGEL on April 26, 1966 as reported in the
press (there is no official, public report of Staten proceed-
ings).
"The Government.of Surinam:
"Considering:
1. that the United ngdom has a wrong opion about the
course of the Corantijne River, which results in a
boundary dispute between Surinam and British Guiana;
2. that British Guiana will become independent on May 26,
1966 and that up to that moment the United Kingdom
is responsible for the acts and conduct of British
Guiana in relation to the sovereign rights of Surinam
on its territory;
3. that the United Kingdom, although initially had pro-
posed to discuss the matter with the Kingdom of the
Netherlands in order to arrive to a solution of the
above boundary dispute, at present, notwithstanding
the Kingdom of the Netherlands on Surinam's behest
has expressed the desire to discuss the question on
an adequate level and has urgently done so, up to
now has not received a positive promise for these
FORM
4 ? 62 DS - 323
UNCLASSIFIED
FOR DEPT. USE ONLY
Flout
Drafted by:
EKuppinger:eb 4/28/66
(-omen's and Classumatton Approved by
EDKuppinger
Clearances:
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? discussions;
4. that the passive attitude of the United Kingdom, in
view of the forthcoming granting of independence to
British Guiana, is not in accordance with the applicable
international judicial standards and customs;
5. that Surinam previously already has stated that viola-
tions of the sovereignty rights on its territory when
independence is granted to British Guiana will be con-
sidered serious and will powerfully oppose any judicial
and factual violation of its sovereignty rights;
6. that the attitude of the United Kingdom seriously en-
dangers the good neighborship relations showed by Surinam
to British Guiana and its subjects with regards to the
Corantijne River.
DECLARES:
If the United Kingdom does not positively declare
its willingness to solve the disagreement men-
tioned and to discuss it on an adequate level prior
to the granting of independence to British Guiana,
it (the Surinam Government) will take all judicial
and legal measures at its service to assure its
sovereignty rights on its territory. DE WEST,
4/26/66"
In the ensuing 'discussion ,leaders of all parries represented in
the Staten, those in the Government coalition as well as those
?in-opposition, indicated their support of the statement. Thus,
while no actual vote was taken, the statement may be accepted
as a broadly supported Government position.
This matter has assumed rather sudden importance in Surinam eyes
in view of impending British Guiana independence and the general
feeling here that neither the Netherlands Government nor the Brit-
ish Government is interested in coming to grips with the issue.
The general Surinam view,' indicated in press comment excerpted
below, is that Surinam will be in a disadvantageous position ,
withregard_r.o, this matter if it is not settled prior, to BG in-
dependence. There were, rumors, following the-visit'here-of
Prime Minister 'BURNHAM of BG several months ago, that some sort
of modus vivendi had been worked out between the two Prime
Ministers. If that was the case something may have gone wrong.
However that may be, the fact that there seems to be no indica-
tion that t,he, metropolitan powers are likely to come :to, issue.
over the matter prior to BG Independence has now imbued the
issue with,a,sense.of urgency apparent in the Surinam statement
and press comment..
UNGI,A&S,IFIED
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The independent afternoon paper SURINAME which supports the
"independence" movement, inquired why the situation had been per-
mitted to remain quiescent for so long and questioned the justice
of placing the onus of the declaration upon the United Kingdom
alone saying, in effect, that greater blame should attach to the
Netherlands which had not wanted to push the matter with the UK
to the point where it would become an irritant factor in
Netherlands-UK relations. The comment concluded by asserting that
the history of this matter shows that the Netherlands will not
stand up for Surinam in matters where its own other interests may
be affected.
The independent DE WARE TIJD, noting the fact that the acknowledged
boundary between Surinam and British Guiana is the west bank of
the Corantijn River, suggested that Surinam could withhold per-
mission for fishing and lumbering on the islands from British
Guiana. Foreign Minister LUNS was criticized for discussing this
matter, on his recent visit to London, with a secondary official
rather than with his opposite number. The comment added that
because of scandalous disregard of Surinam interests during the
colonial period, this situation now has grown into a difficult
problem. Referring again to the matter of jurisdiction over the
Corantijn, the comment stated that Surinam "held good cards in
this game" and, in effect, called upon the Netherlands to patrol
the river if that should become necessary. Emphasizing the need
for action before the May 26 date of British Guiana independence,
the comment concluded that the fact of independence wOuld give BG
a good card in its hand since as an iregendent state in Latin
me ican
America, the sympathies of the Latin/ ou tries would go to BG
rather than to a "semi-colonial" area of a European power.
KUPPINGERi
UNGLASSIFIED
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