RESTRICTED
FM CARACAS
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 100
OF 09191OZ APRIL 90
AND TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
(119)
RESTRICTED
HKB 400 /
IVED IN
24 APR 1990
172601
MDLIAN 3304
MY TELNO 95: VENEZUELAN ACTING CONSUL GENERAL IN HONG KONG
1. IT MAY BE USEFUL FOR HONG KONG TO KNOW THAT ON 4 APRIL RAMIREZ WAS QUESTIONED FOR EIGHT HOURS BY THE PTJ AND THE INVESTIGATING JUDGE. PRESS REPORTS INDICATE THAT HIS QUESTIONING WILL CONTINUE, PROBABLY AFTER THE EASTER BREAK. THE JUDGE HAS ISSUED AN ORDER PREVENTING RAMIREZ FROM LEAVING THE COUNTRY (NOT UNUSUAL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF SUCH AND ENQUIRY).
2. THE JUDGE CALLED ON THE MFA ON 5 APRIL, AND LATER LUNCHED WITH AMBASSADOR GERARDO WILL (WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE VENEZUELAN TEAM WHICH VISITED HONG KONG AFTER RAMIREZ' -ARREST).
3. RAMIREZ HAS SAID NOTHING TO THE PRESS. BUT HIS LAYWER (WHO HAPPENS TO BE THE BROTHER OF THE VENEZUELAN JUSTICE MINISTER) WAS UNNECESSARILY OFFENSIVE IN SIMILARLY REFUSING COMMENT TO THE LARGE CROWD OF INTERESTED JOURNALISTS, AFTER THE 4 APRIL HEARING. THIS WILL HAVE SERVED ONLY TO HEIGHTEN PRESS INTEREST IN THE AFFAIR. ACCORDING TO ONE REPORT ON 7 APRIL, IT ALSO EARNED THE JUSTICE MINISTER A PRESIDENTIAL REBUKE NOT ONLY FOR HIS BROTHER'S BEHAVIOUR BUT ALSO FOR ACQUIESCING IN A SITUATION IN WHICH A CLOSE RELATION OF THE JUSTICE MINISTER IS DEFENDING 'AN EX CIVIL SERVANT WHO HAS PROVOKED SO GREAT A SCANDAL AS THAT OF THE CHINESE'.
FITZHERBERT
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
52
MAIN
52
LIMITED
HKD
SAMD
PROTOCOL D FED CONSULAR D
MR MCLAREN
NNNN
PAGE
LEGAL ADVISERS MVD
MR GILLMORE
1
RESTRICTED
156
Page 120Page 121
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.