CONFIDENTIAL
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035025 MDHIAN 0009
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 07110OZ FCO
TELNO 842
OF 07101OZ MARCH 90
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
0 8 MAR 1990
DESK
INDEX
D'S
AND TO DESKBY 07130OZ CARACAS
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, BTC HONG KONG
16
CARACAS TELNO 59: ACTING CONSUL-GENERAL OF VENEZUELA IN HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1. AMBASSADOR WILLS, A MR WEIZER (PRESUMABLY THE DISIP COMMISSIONER MENTIONED IN TUR?) AND THE SAN FRANCISCO BASED CONSUL HAVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG. WILLS AND WEIZER HELD INTRODUCTORY MEETINGS THIS MORNING (7 MARCH) WITH DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL (D OF P) AND ICAC
OFFICERS.
DETAIL
2. AMBASSADOR WILLS AND WEIZER CALLED ON D OF P THIS MORNING. WILLS EXPLAINED THAT THEIR VISIT WAS PART OF A WIDE RANGING INVESTIGATION INTO A 'MAFIA'' OF BOGUS PASSPORTS, VISAS AND ENTRY PERMITS WHICH INVOLVED HONG KONG AND SEVERAL OTHER LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING VENEZUELA. HE ADDED THAT IT WAS RAMIREZ WHO HAD FIRST ALERTED THE VENEZUELAN AUTHORITIES TO THE HONG KONG CONNECTION IN 1985.
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3. WILL CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS HIS AUTHORITIES' WISH TO SEE RAMIREZ RETURNED TO VENEZUELA. WILLS ALSO TOUCHED ON THEIR DOUBTS THAT THE VIENNA CONVENTION HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH. D OF P REPLIED THAT THE ARREST OF A HEAD OF CONSULAR MISSION WAS NOT/NOT AN ACTION THAT HAD BEEN TAKEN LIGHTLY, AND WE WERE CONFIDENT THAT WE WERE NOT/NOT IN BREACH OF THE CONVENTION. WILLS MERELY COMMENTED THAT WE HAD DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW. HE SAID THAT MANY PEOPLE IN CARACAS BELIEVED THAT RAMIREZ'S ARREST AND OTHER RECENT EVENTS (PARTICULARLY THE STRANDING OF 24 CHINESE NATIONALS AT THE AIRPORT) WERE ELATED. D OF P REPLIED THAT ICAC HAD SAID THAT THE TWO MATTERS WERE NOT CONNECTED.
4. WILLS SAID THE SAN FRANSISCO CONSUL (A LADY) WAS AN EXPERIENCED CONSULAR OFFICER WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH TRAVEL DOCUMENT
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