Arron Outlines Suriname’s Ambiguous Foreign Policy Position to U.S. Official

Newly independent nation balances European ties, South American neighbors, and Caribbean integration.

Date: November 30, 1977

In a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Terence Todman, Surinamese Prime Minister Henck Arron expressed interest but also significant reservations about Suriname's full participation in a U.S.-backed Caribbean development initiative.

Details:

  • The meeting took place on November 30, 1977, in Paramaribo, with both Prime Minister Arron and President Ferrier present.
  • Arron explained Suriname's "somewhat ambiguous position," noting that it was physically located on the South American mainland but had strong historical ties to Holland and ethnic/cultural links to the Caribbean states.
  • He highlighted that Suriname's foreign policy was still being defined and that it had a "special relationship" with Brazil and growing ties with Venezuela, which were key considerations.
  • While Suriname intended to be represented at the upcoming Caribbean development conference, Arron indicated it would be at a low level and that the country might opt for "observer status" rather than full membership in the regional group.
  • The U.S. Embassy noted that, in contrast, the Dutch government was actively "under instruction to urge Surinam to participate" fully in the initiative.

Significance: This meeting reveals the fundamental foreign policy dilemma of the newly independent Surinamese state. It shows the Arron government carefully balancing its historical ties to Europe, its geographical position in South America with powerful neighbors like Brazil and Venezuela, and its cultural links to the English-speaking Caribbean. The government's cautious, non-committal approach to the U.S.-backed Caribbean initiative highlights its reluctance to be fully drawn into an Anglophone sphere of influence, preferring to maintain a more independent and multi-aligned foreign policy. This balancing act would define Suriname's international relations in the pre-coup era.

Source:

[1] U.S. Department of State, "Telegram From the Embassy in Suriname to the Department of State," December 1, 1977, Document 338, Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXIII, Mexico, Cuba, and the Caribbean.

Link:

https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1977-80v23/d338

Internal Link:

Date:
November 30, 1977
Categories:
Diplomacy, Log, Matthew Smith
Tags:
Cable, Caribbean Integration, Confidential, Foreign Policy, Us Suriname Relations
Boxes:
MW Zotero
Years:
1977
Persons:
Henck Arron, Terence Todman
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