TNAG-0667-FCO40-816-Restrictions-on-issue-of-visas-to-nationals-of-Soviet-Bloc-c-1988 — Page 71

124

GRS 300

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

C

10MA

CONFIDENTIAL

LOMAVIY David

M?

JUNK 209/13

FM HONG KONG 240500Z

CONFIDENTIAL

RA

Бар

K345/ 2014 understand that as a desult

af

༤༠ .༧༡.

on unpleasant incident today in Prague - the police, I believe, having sprayed tear for in the force of a

EESD joutualist Ibadans - LED have gwood that- Un. Barcak" party should

M. not be issued with virači (I have

bit for the dialy).

DESKBY 040660Z (PRAGUE) Jounalist, b

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TEL NO 227 OF 4 MARCH dira a bit

INFO IMMEDIATE PRAGUE

TO PRAGUE

x and and telarapluies PEKING PRIORITY MANILA, Prausto DIM

Say to.

-443.

YOUR TEL NO. 52 PROPOSED TRANSIT STOP OF CZECH FOREIGN TRADE

MNISTER.

AS YOU KNOW, WE GRANT VISAS TO EAST EUROPEAN TRADE OFFICIALS WHO HAVE A UNDELINE NEXT TWO WORDS BONA FIDE COMMERCIAL REASON FOR VISITING HONG KONG . 27 OUT OF 33 APPLICATIONS FROM CZECHS FOR VISAS WERE GRANTED IN 1976, AFTER THE USUAL CAREFUL VETTING

ARRANGEMENTS.

2. IT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT BARCAK'S VISIT COULD BE

MYTHING BUT AN ATTEMPT TO EMBARRASS US IN RELATION TO THE CHINESE, SINCE HE HAS NO UNDERLINE NEXT TWO WORD BONA FIDE TRAVEL NEED TO COME TO HONG KONG AND IT CANNOT BE ARGUED THAT IN A 6 AND A HALF HOUR STOP-OVER ANY SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL BUSINESS CAN BE

CCOMPLISHED.

3.

WE REALISE IT MAY NOT BE CONVENIENT FOR THE EMBASSY IN PRAGUE IN THE CONTEXT OF CURRENT UK/CZECH RELATIONS TO SUGGEST THAT BARCAK'S PARTY FLY BACK TO PRAGUE ANOTHER WAY. THIS COULD BE HANDLED PERHAPS WITH LESS DIFFICULTY IN MANILA,

IF 4. I UNDERSTAND THE RELEVANCE OF UK/CZECH RELATIONS AND, THERE IS AN OVERRIDING UK COMMERCIAL INTEREST, WE SHALL DO OUR EST TO ACCOMMODATE BARCAK AND HIS COLLEAGUES AS DISCREETLY AS

/ WE

NEXT

REF.

CONFIDENTIAL