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TELNO 53
OF 01220OZ MARCH 1990
INFO DESKBY 02010OZ HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
(2)
HONG KONG TELNO 765: ACTING CONSUL GENERAL OF VENEZUELA
SUMMARY
1. ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER CLAIMS THAT ARREST OF RAMIREZ WAS NOT (NOT) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VIENNA CONVENTION. REQUESTS THAT RAMIREZ BE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO VENEZUELA TO HELP WITH VENEZUELAN ENQUIRY INTO FALSE VISAS ALREADY IN PROGRESS AND TO FACE TRIAL IF NECESSARY. ALSO REQUESTS RELEVANT MATERIAL IN OUR POSSESSION. HANDS OVER NOTE VERBALE.
DETAIL
2. THE ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER, TAYLHARDAT, ASKED ME TO CALL AT SHORT NOTICE THIS AFTERNOON.
3. WITH REFERENCE TO OUR NOTE VERBALE OF YESTERDAY ABOUT THE ARREST OF THE ACTING CONSUL GENERAL, TAYLHARDAT SAID THAT IN THE VENEZUELAN VIEW THIS HAD NOT (NOT) BEEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VIENNA CONVENTION, WHICH STIPULATED THAT DETENTION OF A CONSULAR OFFICER WAS NOT JUSTIFIED EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A SERIOUS CRIME AND ONLY FOLLOWING A DECISION BY A JUDICIAL AUTHORITY. I REPLIED THAT IN THE VIEW OF OUR LEGAL ADVISERS, BOTH IN HONG KONG AND LONDON, THE ARREST HAD BEEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 41 OF THE VIENNA CONVENTION SINCE THE CRIME IN QUESTION WAS, ACCORDINGIO TO OUR DEFINITION, A GRAVE ONE AND SINCE THE ARREST HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT UNDER A SPECIFIC LEGAL ORDINANCE.
4. TAYLHARDAT WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE VENEZUELANS WERE ALREADY CONDUCTING THEIR OWN ENQUIRY INTO THE ISSUING OF FALSE VISAS TO CHINESE CITIZENS AND THAT HE WISHED TO REQUEST THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW RAMIREZ CALLES TO RETURN TO VENEZUELA SO THAT HE COULD HELP WITH THESE ENQUIRIES AND IF NECESSARY FACE CHARGES RESULTING FROM THEM. HE REFERRED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SENDING A VENEZUELAN JUDICIAL OFFICIAL TOGETHER WITH A FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL TO
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