NORTH KOREAN ASYLUM SEEKER IN VIENTIANE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000656

SIPDIS

GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2015
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREF PREL KN KS LA TH DPRK LAOS
SUBJECT: NORTH KOREAN ASYLUM SEEKER IN VIENTIANE

REF: A. STATE 13599

B. VIENTIANE 106 AND PREVIOUS

C. SEOUL 355 AND PREVIOUS

D. BANGKOK 608 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT CLARKE. REASONS 1.4 (B, D).


1. (C) Summary and comment. UNHCR/UNDP cannot issue a travel
document for North Korean asylum seeker Anh, but is prepared
to assist in resolving this case in terms of providing
transportation within Thailand, housing, and other assistance
agreed upon by concerned governments. ICRC Bangkok
representative says he has discussed with his headquarters
the issuance of a travel document to Anh, but ICRC cannot
provide an answer yet as it has equities with North Korea,
such as its office in Pyongyang, that it needs to consider.
Comment. We agree with ref a approach urging the South Korean
government to communicate its willingness to Thai authorities
to take custody of Anh upon any arrival in Thailand. Ideally
they would also be prepared to issue him a South Korean
passport as -- or before -- he crosses into Thai territory
(see Thai comments on this topic below). Lacking that, a
firm South Korean commitment to take Anh after, if absolutely
necessary, a perfunctory interview in Thailand seems to us to
be essential. It appears that the South Koreans may now be
willing to conduct only a security interview of Anh and not
question UNHCR's determination that he wants South Korean
resettlement (ref c). However, if they were to insist on
interviewing Anh independently in Thailand to verify his
desire to resettle to South Korea, this introduces an
uncertainty which could easily unravel what will likely be
carefully crafted plans to resolve this issue. Based on what
we have seen so far, we cannot be certain what Anh would tell
the South Koreans if they ask him about his resettlement
intentions. We also cannot be certain, without the presence
of a Korean-speaking USG official in such an interview, that
the South Koreans might not lead Anh to say that he wants
U.S. resettlement. If he states that he wants U.S.
resettlement, this could leave us with a situation in which
Anh is stranded in Thailand. Obtaining the South Korean
commitment to take Anh will also make it easier for the Thai
to accept a compromise -- land entry into Thailand -- that is
not their preferred option. Post suggests that Department
have US Mission Geneva weigh in with ICRC on issuance of a
travel document to Anh. End summary and comment.


2. (SBU) In response to ref a, Embassy officers on January 25
spoke with UNHCR, ICRC, and Thai government officials.


3. (C) UNHCR Assistant Regional Representative for Protection
Kirsten Young (the senior official in the office),confirmed
what Vientiane-based UN official has told Embassy Vientiane.
That is, neither UNHCR nor UNDP can issue travel documents in
this case. Young said that UNHCR in exceptional cases does
issue travel documents, but only when the person is a
UNHCR-recognized refugee, which is not the situation with
Anh. Young added that UNHCR typically works with the
resettlement country or ICRC in cases where travel documents
are needed and ICRC or the resettlement country issues the
documents.


4. (C) Young said that UNHCR/Bangkok would assist in
providing protection, lodging, transportation and other
necessary arrangements for Anh upon his arrival in Thailand.
This assistance could begin in Bangkok or at the Thai-Lao
Friendship Bridge border crossing. UNHCR would plan to house
Anh in Bangkok at one of its safe houses. Young said that
UNHCR will do whatever it can to assist within the framework
for resolving this issue that the countries concerned put in
place. She said that UNHCR would, if requested, be prepared
to encourage the Thai government to help in resolving this
problem, but said she suspected USG intervention would carry
more weight with the Thai.


5. (C) ICRC Head of Regional Delegation Fred Grimm said,
after discussion with his headquarters in Geneva, that the
issuance of a laissez-passer to Anh was more complicated than
he had thought. Further internal discussion will be
necessary before a decision is made. ICRC has an office in
Pyongyang and equities with North Korea that it must weigh.
Grimm will discuss this issue further with the ICRC
representative responsible for North Korea who by
happenstance will be in Bangkok on January 26. Then further
discussions will be necessary with Geneva. Refcoord reminded
Grimm that ICRC had issued a laissez-passer to the North
Korean who entered the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok.
Refcoord also told Grimm that ICRC should not have to request
any Lao agreement to ICRC involvement in this case given the
Lao government position. If ICRC were to issue a
laissez-passer, the logistics of that would have to be worked
out since the document typically has a photograph,
fingerprints, and is signed and stamped by ICRC before it is
provided to the traveller.

6. (C) Late on January 24, Thai MFA Americas official Paisit
Boonparlit, after emphasizing that he could not
authoritatively convey decisions for the RTG in this matter,
said that Ministry officials were exploring the idea floated
by Embassy Bangkok (ref d) of Anh entering Thailand by land
as a documented "South Korean." He shared that they had
determined that past travel documents issued by the ROK to
North Korean refugees did not indicate any North Korean
origin. Comment: While Paisit did not say the responsible
MFA officials had concluded they would accept a land crossing
option if Anh had South Korean documents, that was the
implication. This apparent flexibility in Thai thinking
might also mean that they might consider accepting other
travel documents (i.e. ICRC laissez passer) in the event that
were the only alternative. End Comment.
BOYCE