U.S. Embassy Outlines Strategic Interests in Suriname’s Bauxite and Democracy

Cable defines three core U.S. goals just over a year before the 1980 coup upends the relationship.

Date: November 30, 1978

In a "Secret" cable from the U.S. Embassy in Paramaribo to the Secretary of State, the U.S. government outlined its primary interests and policy objectives for Suriname for Fiscal Year 1981, providing a clear baseline of American priorities during the country's early post-independence, pre-coup period.

Details:

  • The cable identifies three "basic" U.S. interests in Suriname:
    • The continuation of a "friendly, moderate, and democratic government."
    • Continued access to Suriname's bauxite on competitive terms.
    • Maintaining Suriname as a market for U.S. exports (which accounted for over 30% of Suriname's imports at the time).
  • Other stated U.S. interests included:
    • The security of large U.S. investments in the bauxite, aluminum, and shrimp industries.
    • The continuation of Suriname's "strong respect for human rights."
    • The ongoing use of Suriname as a "rest and refueling location" for U.S. Air Force satellite tracking missions.
  • The cable noted that at the time, all these U.S. interests were being "well-served" by the Surinamese government.

Significance: This document provides a clear and official articulation of U.S. foreign policy goals toward Suriname just a few years after its independence and slightly more than a year before the 1980 military coup. The emphasis on maintaining a democratic government, ensuring access to strategic resources (bauxite), and promoting human rights establishes the framework against which all subsequent U.S. policy during the Bouterse era would be measured. The document serves as a critical benchmark, illustrating a stable and positive relationship that would be completely upended by the events of February 1980.

Source:

U.S. Embassy Paramaribo Cable 1978PARAMA01582d, "US GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR FY-1981 -- SURINAME," November 30, 1978.

Link:

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978PARAMA01582_d.html

Internal Link:

Date:
November 30, 1978
Categories:
Desi Bouterse, Diplomacy, Log, Matthew Smith, Military & Intel, Strategic Stockpiling
Tags:
Bauxite, Cable, Economic Interests, Human Rights, Policy Statement, Us Military Presence, Us Policy
Boxes:
MW Zotero
Years:
1978
Persons:
META DATA
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