AMBASSADOR-FM SURAKIART ON NORTH KOREAN ASYLUM SEEKER IN VIENTIANE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 000802 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/BCLTV, PRM E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM ASEC KS KN TH LAOS DPRK SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR-FM SURAKIART ON NORTH KOREAN ASYLUM SEEKER IN VIENTIANE REF: A. STATE 13599 ¶B. VIENTIANE 128 ¶C. SEOUL 444 ¶D. EMBASSY VIENTIANE (BAUER) JANUARY 31 E-MAIL TO EMBASSY BANGKOK (ARVIZU) Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce. Reason: 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) On January 28, while in Phuket for Thai-hosted conference on a tsunami early warning system (EWS),the Ambassador spoke with Foreign Minister Surakiart about Ahn Kyong Su, the North Korean asylum seeker in Embassy Vientiane. The Ambassador noted that the Lao government would not allow transit to Thailand for onward travel to South Korea using a commercial flight from Vientiane, and insisted that the North Korean could only cross the border into Thailand by land. He urged Thai flexibility on the land option. Surakiart said that he was aware of the Ambassador's earlier approach to MFA Permanent Secretary Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn and had been updated regularly on working-level discussions and developments by his staff. ¶2. (C) At first Surakiart asked why the USG did not press the Lao harder on the air option and even offered to call himself. After the Ambassador told him that the Lao government had not yielded after several approaches and clearly would not budge, Surakiart indicated that Thailand would agree to land passage as long as the North Korean is properly documented by the ROK and taken directly from Nong Khai to Udorn, and then flown to Bangkok airport for immediate travel onwards. ¶3. (C) Per Ref D, FM Surakiart has instructed the Thai Ambassador in Vientiane to convey to Embassy Vientiane and the Lao Government that Thailand will allow Anh to enter Thailand via land as long as the conditions are met. The next critical step would appear for the ROK to issue Anh the proper travel documents either in Vientiane or elsewhere so that they can be passed to him on the Friendship Bridge between Laos and Thailand. In addition, it would be best if the ROK would agree to take custody of Anh at the Friendship Bridge, transport him to Bangkok for his onward travel to Seoul, and coordinate with the Thai Government as necessary on these arrangements. We stand ready to assist. BOYCE