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RESTRICTED
FM SEOUL
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER 020/2
OF 140701Z JULY 93
INFO TELELETTER HONG KONG, PEKING
510
1.
સ્
80 057346
MDTTAN 6609
cc-Mr Bunter, HKD
I here HM will respond
ни
an x1, and in a
시
way
helpful
M.
Ms Kay RAD, M Merve
tegy
تمام کیا
7
Pus
X
FROM M D REILLY
FOR GR GIBSON ESQ, FED
2,
Mr Gosa or.
CC: J ASTON ESQ, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
NJ COX ESQ, PEKING
NORTH KOREAN VISAS
HUA 016/1
L. AUG 1993
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TL OF 9 JULY. I HAVE INDEED NOW SEEN JOHN ASHTON'S LETTER OF 3 JULY, RECEIVED IN THE BAG ON 12 JULY.
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2.
ICATIO
HIS LETTER AND YOUR TL PROVIDE HELPFUL CLARIFICAT
FOR WHICH
I AM MOST GRATEFUL. I HAVE PASSED THE GIST OF BOTH TO MICHELL WHO CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO JOHN ASHTON AND HAD WELCOMED THE EXPLANATION HE HAD RECEIVED.
3.
MICHELL CONFIRMED THAT HE WOULD STILL LIKE TO HOLD THE MEETING IN HONG KONG IF POSSIBLE, AND ACCEPTS THAT THE APPLICATIONS WILL REQUIRE 6-8 WEEKS PROCESSING. HE IS CONCERNED HOWEVER THAT IF AFTER 8 WEEKS OF CONSIDERATION THE APPLICATIONS ARE REJECTED,
HE THEREFORE CONSIDERABLE PLANNING WILL HAVE BEEN TO NO AVAIL. ASKED WHETHER, FOR HIS OWN PLANNING PURPOSES, IF THERE IS ANY LIKELIHOOD OF THE APPLICATIONS BEING REFUSED, HE COULD BE TOLD SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER HONG KONG IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT IS IN FACT ABLE TO DO THIS.
4 =
MICHELL ALSO SAID THAT THE EARLIER APPLICATIONS MADE IN COLOMBO (ASHTON'S LETTER TO BUNTEN REFERS) WERE UNDP SPONSORED IN
THE UNDP HAD CONNECTION WITH THE TUMEN RIVER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. APPARENTLY BEEN CONSIDERING ESTABLISHING A TUMEN RIVER CORPORATION TO PURSUE THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME. THEY HAD INTENDED TO BASE THE CORPORATION IN HONG KONG BUT IN VIEW OF HONG KONG'S POLICY FOR VISAS FOR NORTH KOREANS, THE UNDP WERE NOW CONSIDERING SINGAPORE INSTEAD, WHOSE VISA POLICY IS APPARENTLY LESS RESTRICTIVE. HE ALSO SAID THAT A CONTACT IN DRAGONAIR HAD TOLD HIM THAT THE AIRLINE WAS KEEN TO START FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND PYONGYANG, INITIALLY EXTENDING ITS EXISTING FLIGHTS FROM HONG KONG TO PEKING.
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