GUIDANCE REGARDING TWO NORTH KOREAN SISTERS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 003744 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR RMA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2015 TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM KN KS CB DPRK SUBJECT: GUIDANCE REGARDING TWO NORTH KOREAN SISTERS IN CAMBODIA REF: A. STATE 104207 ¶B. BEIJING 8769 Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Clarke. Reason: 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) Per ref a request, on June 7 Refcoord told UNHCR Regional Representative Hasim Utkan that the U.S. would consider refugee referrals of the two North Korean sisters reportedly in Cambodia if UNHCR determines that it is in their best interest to travel to the United States. ¶2. (C) Utkan said he understood and noted that the two girls had not yet approached the UNHCR office in Phnom Penh. He also cautioned that if UNHCR were to refer the cases to the United States and they were accepted for resettlement, there may be some difficulty in their movement to the United States. He noted that in the cases of 5 North Koreans who entered the Swedish and French Embassies in Hanoi earlier this year, the Thai goverment refused to allow them to transit Bangkok for South Korea. As a result, UNHCR had to arrange for their transport through Singapore. BOYCE