124
GRS 300
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
C
10MA
CONFIDENTIAL
LOMAVIY David
M?
JUNK 209/13
FM HONG KONG 240500Z
CONFIDENTIAL
RA
Бар
K345/ 2014 understand that as a desult
af
༤༠ .༧༡.
on unpleasant incident today in Prague - the police, I believe, having sprayed tear for in the force of a
EESD joutualist Ibadans - LED have gwood that- Un. Barcak" party should
M. not be issued with virači (I have
bit for the dialy).
DESKBY 040660Z (PRAGUE) Jounalist, b
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TEL NO 227 OF 4 MARCH dira a bit
INFO IMMEDIATE PRAGUE
TO PRAGUE
x and and telarapluies PEKING PRIORITY MANILA, Prausto DIM
Say to.
-443.
YOUR TEL NO. 52 PROPOSED TRANSIT STOP OF CZECH FOREIGN TRADE
MNISTER.
AS YOU KNOW, WE GRANT VISAS TO EAST EUROPEAN TRADE OFFICIALS WHO HAVE A UNDELINE NEXT TWO WORDS BONA FIDE COMMERCIAL REASON FOR VISITING HONG KONG . 27 OUT OF 33 APPLICATIONS FROM CZECHS FOR VISAS WERE GRANTED IN 1976, AFTER THE USUAL CAREFUL VETTING
ARRANGEMENTS.
2. IT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT BARCAK'S VISIT COULD BE
MYTHING BUT AN ATTEMPT TO EMBARRASS US IN RELATION TO THE CHINESE, SINCE HE HAS NO UNDERLINE NEXT TWO WORD BONA FIDE TRAVEL NEED TO COME TO HONG KONG AND IT CANNOT BE ARGUED THAT IN A 6 AND A HALF HOUR STOP-OVER ANY SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL BUSINESS CAN BE
CCOMPLISHED.
3.
WE REALISE IT MAY NOT BE CONVENIENT FOR THE EMBASSY IN PRAGUE IN THE CONTEXT OF CURRENT UK/CZECH RELATIONS TO SUGGEST THAT BARCAK'S PARTY FLY BACK TO PRAGUE ANOTHER WAY. THIS COULD BE HANDLED PERHAPS WITH LESS DIFFICULTY IN MANILA,
IF 4. I UNDERSTAND THE RELEVANCE OF UK/CZECH RELATIONS AND, THERE IS AN OVERRIDING UK COMMERCIAL INTEREST, WE SHALL DO OUR EST TO ACCOMMODATE BARCAK AND HIS COLLEAGUES AS DISCREETLY AS
/ WE
NEXT
REF.
CONFIDENTIAL