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authorised Colombo to issue the visas, which are valid for a four day stay, provided it is completed by 10 July. We do not know if they have been collected. They will already have lapsed on 10 June if they were not picked up before then. When we mentioned this proposed visit to Ciba-Geigy they seemed to know nothing about it.
Visa Folicy for North Korea
4.
We
To
In fact, our visa policy towards North Korea is clear cut, and rather restrictive. North Koreans may visit Hong Kong, provided they come here for business purposes, can cite a reputable local sponsor, and the visit is likely to result in economic benefit to Hong Kong. Applications are vetted thoroughly, and processing usually takes the full 6-8 weeks. are very reluctant to make radical exceptions in this case. do so would create an unwelcome precedent; and there are good reasons for us to keep our guard up towards North Korea: there have for example been suspicions, which we cannot afford to encourage, that North Korea regards Hong Kong as a COCOM soft spot. We have explained our policy to Ciba-Geigy and Mr. Michell. I suggested to Mr. Michell that, given the importance he attached to the visit, one option might be to postpone the programme to allow enough time for the visas to be granted. acknowledged that this might be the way forward (and did not seem unduly put out that the current timetable would have to be abandoned). Ciba-Geigy seen from our conversations with them to agree with this, and have asked us to carry on processing the applications.
Comment
5.
He
I am sorry we have had to disappoint Ciba-Geigy and Mr. Michell. But I remain convinced that we are right to be cautious. The South Korean Consul-General has now somehow got wind of the proposed visit, and is asking how we propose to handle it. We do not wish to give him any impression that we may be relaxing our visa policy towards North Korea.
6.
We have considered carefully whether we might be more flexible in the cases of Vice Minister Kim and Ms. Hwang, since visas have already been issued for them. But on this too we are reluctant. That might encourage the unwelcome practice of applying for one purpose under one sponsor, and then trying to switch horses before arrival.
CC:
You
eve
Joh
(John Ashton)
Deputy Political Adviser
N. J. Cox Esq., Peking M. D. Reilly Esq., Seoul R. P. Nash Esq., LVO, Colombo
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