SECRET
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 150100OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1231
OF 141624Z AUGUST 92
INFO DESKBY 15060OZ MOSCOW
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
SECRET
47
126346
MDHOAN 8994
FOR POLITICAL ADVISER
AEROFLOT INAUGURATION: VISA REFUSALS
1. MOSCOW HAVE TELEPHONED FCO EASTERN DEPARTMENT TO REPORT THAT THE RUSSIAN MFA HAD RAISED WITH THEM URGENTLY THE QUESTION OF FOUR VISA REFUSALS CONNECTED WITH NEXT WEEK'S INAUGURATION OF ITS NEW AEROFLOT SERVICE TO HONG KONG. THE MFA SAID THAT OF THE TWENTY-EIGHT OFFICIALS THAT HAD APPLIED FOR VISAS TO VISIT HONG KONG FOR THIS PURPOSE, FOUR VISAS HAD BEEN REFUSED
THE MFA SAID THAT IF THESE VISAS WERE NOT ISSUED IMMEDIATELY, THE RUSSIAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITIES WERE LIKELY TO CANCEL THE TRIP OF ALL TWENTY-EIGHT.
2. WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE GOOD REASON FOR TREATING TWO OF THE FOUR APPLICANTS
AS IDENTIFIED
INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS, AND FOR SUSPECTING LIKEWISE. HOWEVER, IT WOULD CAUSE PUBLIC AWKWARDNESS HERE AND WE SUSPECT IN HONG KONG IF THE INAUGURATION OF THIS AEROFLOT SERVICE, OTHERWISE A SIGNIFICANT AND WELCOME DEVELOPMENT, WERE TO BE SOURED BY ACRIMONIOUS ALLEGATIONS AND COUNTER-ALLEGATIONS OR EVEN THE RUSSIAN SIDE PULLING OUT ALTOGETHER. YOU MAY THINK THAT THERE IS SOME ROOM FOR FLEXIBILITY ON THIS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE VISAS WERE REQUESTED FOR SEVEN DAYS ONLY.
3. MOSCOW WOULD LIKE FORMALLY TO TELL THE MFA WHETHER OR NOT THE VISA REFUSALS STAND: GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LET THEM KNOW DESKBY
15080OZ.
HOGG
YYYY
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
FOI EXEMPTION NO. 40(2)
MICD 3441/2