CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 011100Z FCO
TELNO 765
OF 01100OZ MARCH 90
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB
400 / 1
RECEIVED IN RECISTRY
O & MAR 1990
DESI
Q DIST?
OP COPY
INDEX
014653
MDHIAN 9145
(62
AND TO DESKBY 01130OZ CARACAS
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
/
58
59
OUR TELNO. 726, CARACAS TELNOS. 47 AND 49 ARREST OF ACTING CONSUL- GENERAL OF VENEZUELA IN HONG KONG
1. FOLLOWING THE ARREST OF ACTING CONSUL-GENERAL RAMIREZ ON 27 FEBRUARY, HE WAS BROUGHT BEFORE A MAGISTRATE IN CHAMBERS ON THE SAME AFTERNOON. THE MAGISTRATE ADJOURNED THE HEARING UNTIL THE NEXT DAY, RAMIREZ SURRENDERING HIS PASSPORT TO THE COURT AND ENTERING INTO HIS OWN RECOGNIZANCE FOR HKDOLLARS 50,000 BAIL.
2. AT THE HEARING ON 28 FEBRUARY HELD IN THE CHIEF MAGISTRATES CHAMBERS', SUPREME COURT, RAMIREZ FAILED TO SATISFY THE MAGISTRATE THAT HE WOULD NOT LEAVE HONG KONG. HE WAS THEREFORE BAILED TO RE- APPEAR ON 27 APRIL. HIS CONDITIONS OF BAIL ARE:
(A) CASH RECOGNIZANCE OF HKDOLLARS 50,000:
(B) OWN RECOGNIZANCE OF HKDOLLARS 150,000: AND
(C) TO INFORM ICAC 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF ANY DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG, AND TO PROVIDE ICAC WITH A BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS WHERE HE COULD BE CONTACTED WHEN OUT OF HONG KONG.
PRESS LINE
3. WE FULLY RECOGNISE THAT IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO MAINTAIN SILENCE OVER THIS ISSUE HAVING INFORMED THE VENEZUELAN AUTHORITIES OF RAMIREZ' ARREST. WE THEREFORE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO YOUR USING THE LINE IN THIRD TUR IF PRESSED FOR COMMENT. BUT WE WILL NOT INITIATE ANY PRESS RELEASE ON THE MATTER. UNTIL ICAC IS MADE AWARE OF ANY PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT, THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN CARACAS OR HMG IN LONDON, THAT RAMIREZ HAS BEEN ARRESTED, OUR RESPONSE IN ANY PRESS QUERY WILL CONTINUE TO BE NO COMMENT.
4. IT WOULD PLAINLY BE ABSURD FOR US TO MAINTAIN THAT LINE ONCE THE ARREST HAD BEEN PUBLICISED IN VENEZUELA OR IN THE U.K. THEREFORE ONCE WE HAVE CONFIRMATION OF A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT BY ANY OF THE
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