293. Memorandum for the Record1
SUBJECT
- White House Meeting on British Guiana
ATTENDANCE
The President
For Department of State: Messrs. Rusk, Johnson, and Burdett
For AID: Mr. Bell
For the White House: Messrs. Bundy, Dungan, and Kaysen
For CIA: Messrs. McCone and Helms
- 1.
- The meeting opened with a briefing by Helms on the current situation in British Guiana. [2 lines of source text not declassified] and the hard position being taken by Jagan in the negotiations for a return to work on the part of the TUC.
- 2.
- There followed a discussion of the AID aspects of a paper submitted to the President entitled Instructions for Official Level Talks with UK on British Guiana”. Rusk and Bell pointed out that we were proposing financial support to British Guiana which was significantly in excess of anything given to a country of comparable size under the Alliance for Progress. There was some comment about the resentment this might cause in Latin America, but it was clear that the President was prepared to accept unfavorable reaction if the United States Government was able to secure a favorable resolution of the political problem in British Guiana, [less than 1 line of source text not declassified]
- 3.
-
The meeting turned to a general discussion of the President’s scheduled talk with Macmillan at Birch Grove. It was clear that the President regards British Guiana as the most important topic he has to discuss with the Prime Minister. There was some debate as to the desirability of inviting Duncan Sandys to Birch Grove since he is a significant figure in any decisions which HMG may take. Rusk indicated that he would be better able to advise the President after he had met with Sandys and Home a day or two earlier.
[2 paragraphs (11-1/2 lines of source text) not declassified]
- 6.
- This meeting clarified the significant extent to which British Guiana has become a major policy issue between the United States and Great Britain.