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(b) Hong Kong Visas for People going to Third Countries

Mr Tuyen asked if Hong Kong would accept people who wanted to go to other countries so that they could wait there for their visas for these countries.

Mr Kuo said he would Taiwan was not mentioned, but Canada and Singapore were.

pags on this enquiry.

(a) The List of 1,500 exit permit holders

Mr Tuyen asked if Hong Kong Immigration Department had yet been able to check through the list of 1,500 exit permit holders who wanted to go to Hong Kong. Mr Tuyen was not pressing the Hong Kong authorities to accept these people, he wanted only to know which of them had been refused entry to Hong Kong. Mr Kuo said that it was a very long list and that his Department had not yet finished working on it.

Mr Maideen's Comments on the Flights

3. Mr Maideen has only two minor complaints about the handling of the flights. One is that Mr Binstead, who is described on his visiting card as Cathay Pacific's Chief of Security, and Mr Hambley, who deals with Public Relations, kindly bring a supply of Cathay Pacific ballpoints and jotting pada for distribution to the

These goodies Vietnamese who handle the flights at the Ho Chi Minh City end. are given to the Civil Aviation people in Ho Chi Minh City, who keep them. Nothing gets through to the External Affairs people, who r Maideen believes to be a more deserving cause because they devote far more time and effort to the flights (specifically of course to the passengers) than do their Civil Aviation colleagues. One can see why Cathay Pacific would want to keep on the right side of the Civil Aviation authorities and why Mr Maideon's first loyalties lie with the people he deals with most closely, External Affairs. I do not think we should meddle in this, but Hong Kong should be aware, in case Mr Maideen does not mention it on his forthcoming visit, that it is a source of friction. Mr Maideen's solution is to go out to the market and buy the External Affairs officers imported ballpoint pens, which are still available there.

1.

Mr Maideen's other complaint is that on almost every flight there appears without warning a substitute crew member (see para 1 above). Mr Haideon recognises that people fall sick without notice, but believes that a cable despatched even on the morning of the flight might reach him before the aircraft,

Each time the Vietnamese want to know with its unlisted crew member, does so.

why the actual crew do not tally with the list that has been provided und each time Mr Maideen has to apologise. He says that the Vietnamese assume that anyone I very much doubt if whose name has not been included on the crew list is a spy.

this is 80, but Mr Maideen loses a little face each time he has to admit that there has been a substitution of which he has not been forewarned and, again, Hong Kong should know that this is a minor irritant.

5.

These two small grouses aside, Mr Maideen is more than happy with the

He burns up a lot of nervous energy arrangements for the flights at both ends.

before each one and greatly appreciates such gestures as the telegram which Hong Kong send him announcing the safe arrival of the aircraft and passengers.

EBW Luke

25 April 1977

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SEAD, FCO

Me Readman. IK Immigration Dept

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