PRIORITY
GPS 477
YPHER/CAT A
HANOI 250330Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONF IDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO
173 OF 25 OCTOBER
AND TO PRIORITY FCO
YOUR TELNO 918 TO FCO (PARA 3) : SPECIAL FLIGHTS,
PA
154
HKK 243/330/1
INDEX
24 OCT 07
Nood
1. I DISCUSSED WITH CHADDERTON, AND THRENU AFTER TESTING REACTIONS OF CONSULAR DEPT IN SAIGON, WITH MAIDEEN. LATTERS ASSESSMENT IS THAT WE SHALL GET TWO FLIGHTS IN NOVEMBER AND TWO IN DECEMBER (UNHCR, ICRC, INDIANS AND FRENCH ARE ALSO TRYING). BY THEN HE THINKS THAT ALL THOSE WHO ARE GOING
TO GET EXIT PERMITS WILL HAVE GOT THEM (IE NOT EVEN ALL THE PRESENT LIST OF ABOUT 801 EFFECTIVES WILL GET THEM ANYWAY).
HE HAS ALSO HAD A STRONG HINT THAT VIETNAMESE IN SAIGON SEE
FEBRUARY AS OUR WINDING-UP DATE.
2. HE HAS PERSONAL AND OTHER REASONS FOR WANTING TO BE HOME
BY CHRISTMAS BUT HAS VOLUNTEERED TO EXTEND THIS TO END JANUARY,
HE WANTS ME TO ANNOUNCE HIS DEPARTURE BY END NOVEMBER WHICH
WILL GIVE HIM TIME TO WIND UP WITH VIETNAMESE COOPERATION (WITHOUT IT, HE WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT).
2. THIS I THINK IS VERY GENEROUS ON HIS PART. IT DEPENDS
HOWEVER ON YOUR MEETING OUR DEADLINES - THE UP TO DATE LIST
OF ID 258 BY TODAY AS PROMISED BY CHADDERTON ON LAST FLIGHT, AND A FINAL ANSWER ON THE 'LIST OM 1500' (OUR TELNO 158),
AND GIVING EXCEPTIONAL TREATMENT TO CASES RECOMMENDED BY
VIETNAMESE FOR THEIR OWN REASONS. THERE IS LESS QUESTION OF
SETTING DANGEROUS PRECEDENTS IF FLIGHTS ARE TO BE WOUND UP.
FINALLY, YOU SHOULD RECONCILE YOURSELVES TO TURNING OFF THE TAP OF APPROVALS BY THIRD WEEK NOVEMBER. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE
THAT IF THERE IS A BIG LIST OF ID 258'S OUTSTANDING THE
VIETNAMESE WILL NOT EXERT PRESSURE TO CONTINUE FLIGHTS BY
BLOCKING WINDING UP EXERCISE AND MAIDEENS DEPARTURE.
Plate
4. MAIDEEN HAS SEEN AND AGREED.
See 155
TESH
FILES
SEAD
HK & GD
PS/PUS
MR CORTAZZI
NTD
MVU
MR MURRAY
MR KEEBLE
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
CONFIDENT VAL