WEST GERMANY: GUATEMALAN AMBASSADOR SUMMONED TO FOREIGN OFFICE AS WEST GERMANY WITHDRAWS DIPLOMAT FROM GUATEMALA

Record ID: 230387

  • Title: WEST GERMANY: GUATEMALAN AMBASSADOR SUMMONED TO FOREIGN OFFICE AS WEST GERMANY WITHDRAWS DIPLOMAT FROM GUATEMALA
  • Date: 6th April 1970
  • Summary: 1. GV EXT. FOREIGN MINISTRY IN BONN 0.05 2. SV GANDARA OUT OF CAR AND INTO BUILDING 0.13 3. CU PHOTOGRAPHERS 0.16 4. SV GANDARA ENTERS ROOM 0.27 5. SV GANDARA AND SECRETARY OF STATE OF FOREIGN MINISTRY DUCKWITZ 0.32 6. CU GANDARA 0.35 7. SV GANDARA AND DUCKWITZ 0.42 8. CU CAMERAMAN 0.43 9. CU DUCKWITZ 0.48 10. SV POLICE OUTSIDE GUATEMALAN EMBASSY 0.51 11. CU GUATEMALA PLAQUE 0.54 12. GV EXT. EMBASSY WITH POLICE ON DUTY 0.59 13. GV INT. PRESS CONFERENCE ZOOM INTO FOREIGN MINISTER SCHEEL SPEAKING 1.17 14. GV PRESSMEN 1.23 15. GV SCHEEL SPEAKING 1.28 Initials JB/V/AS/OS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st April 1970 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BONN, WEST GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVACIGAWPS9E8R01DCX9QO505KUY
  • Story Text: AS A WAVE OF HORROR SWEPT WEST GERMANY AT THE KILLING OF THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR IN GUATEMALA, THE GUATEMALAN AMBASSADOR, SENOR FILIPE GANDARA, WAS SUMMONED TO THE FOREIGN OFFICE.

    THE WEST GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, HERR WALTER SCHEEL, LATER TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT WEST GERMANY WAS WITHDRAWING ITS SENIOR DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVE IN GUATEMALA.

    COUNT KARL VON SPRETI, THE 62-YEAR-OLD WEST GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO GUATEMALA, WAS FOUND YESTERDAY (SUNDAY, APRIL 5TH) SHOT IN THE HEAD, FIVE DAYS AFTER HE HAD BEEN KIDNAPPED. HIS KIDNAPPERS HAD DEMANDED A RANSON OF 700,000 DOLLARS (282,000 POUNDS STERLING) AND THE RELEASE OF 25 POLITICAL PRISONERS IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS LIFE. BUT THE GUATEMALAN GOVERNMENT REFUSED THE DEMANDS.

    SENOR GANDARA WAS RECEIVED AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY BY THE SENIOR PERMANENT OFFICIAL, HERR GEORG FERDINAND DUCKWITZ. HERR SCHEEL SAID LATER THAT HERR DUCKWITZ HINTED STRONGLY TO THE GUATEMALAN DIPLOMAT THAT HE SHOULD RETURN TO HIS OWN COUNTRY.

    HERR SCHEEL TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT IT WOULD BE INOPPORTUNE TO BREAK OFF RELATIONS COMPLETELY WITH GUATEMALA, AND HE APPEALED TO WORLD GOVERNMENTS TO JOIN IN TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT POLITICAL TERRORISM IN FUTURE. HERR SCHEEL IS GOING TO GUATEMALA TO TALK PERSONALLY WITH GUATEMALAN LEADERS AND TO ACCOMPANY COUNT VON SPRETI'S BODY BACK TO GERMANY.

    FROM THE UNITED STATES, WHERE HE IS ON A VISIT, THE WEST GERMAN CHANCELLOR, HERR WILLY BRANOT, SAID HE FEARED THAT THE KIDNAPPING OF DIPLOMATS COULD SPREAD LIKE THE HIJACKING OF AIRLINERS.

    IN BONN EXTRA POLICE GUARDS HAVE BEEN PLACED AROUND THE HOME OF SENOR GANDARA AFTER ANONYMOUS THREATS ON HIS LIFE. EARLIER HE HAD OFFERED TO BE EXCHANGED FOR THE KIDNAPPED COUNT VON SPRETI.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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