CONFIDENTIAL
FM CARACAS
TO DESKBY 01090OZ FCO
TELNO 49
OF 28203OZ FEBRUARY 1990 INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY PEKING
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CONFIDENTIAL
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H&B
REGIVER IN SCUTRY
O 8 MAR 1990
013063 MDHIAN 9030
HONG KONG TELNO 726 AND TELCON MURRAY/EVERARD: CONSUL GENERAL OF VENEZUELA IN HONG KONG
ARREST OF ACTING
1. AS INSTRUCTED IN TELECON UNDER REFERENCE I HAVE INFORMED THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CONSULAR RELATIONS AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, GERARDO WILLS, OF THE ARREST IN HONG KONG ON 27 FEBRUARY OF THE ACTING CONSUL GENERAL, GONZALO RAMIREZ CALLES. A NOTE VERBALE IN THE TERMS OF THE DRAFT LETTER TO AMBASSADOR KERDEL VEGAS FAXED TO US BY SAMD WILL SHORTLY BE SENT ROUND TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, WITH AN ADVANCE COPY BY FAX TO WILLS.
2. I ALSO WARNED WILLS ON THE TELEPHONE THAT ALTHOUGH IN OUR OPINION RAMIREZ ENJOYED NO IMMUNITY WE WERE NEVERTHELESS ASKING THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TO WAIVE ANY IMMUNITY FROM CRIMINAL JURISDICTION WHICH HE MIGHT HAVE.
3. THE FACT THAT FORMAL NOTIFICATION TO THE VENEZUELANS OF THE ARREST HAS NOW BEEN CARRIED OUT HERE RATHER THAN THROUGH THE VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR IN LONDON AS ORIGINALLY ENVISAGED DOES NOT (NOT) AFFECT THE POINTS MADE IN MY TELNO 47 ABOUT THE PRESS LINE PROPOSED IN TUR. NEWS OF RAMIREZ'S ARREST IS BOUND TO LEAK, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER I WOULD GUESS, AND REFUSING TO CONFIRM THIS WILL MAKE US LOOK AT BEST SILLY AND AT WORST GUILTY OF SOMETHING NEFARIOUS. I RECOMMEND, THEREFORE, THAT WE TAKE THE LINE:
A. RAMIREZ HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF HONG
KONG.
B. (IF NECESSARY) HE IS NOT, IN OUR VIEW, ENTITLED TO CONSULAR
IMMUNITY.
C. (IF NECESSARY) THE QUESTION OF WHAT CHARGES MAY OR MAY NOT BE
BROUGHT AGAINST RAMIREZ IS FOR DECISION BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
FITZHERBERT
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