TNAG-0653-FCO40-802-Previously-closed-extract-Folio-87.-Now-released-and-reunite-1977 — Page 107

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HONG KONG FLIGHTS

The sixth charter flight to Hong Kong on 20 April went off without any major hitches. There were only two minor problems: Mr Maideen had to turn out to the airport at 6 am to identify two passengers who had lost the boarding cards with which they had been issued two days earlier and the last- minute substitution of a stewardess, who had not been included in the crow list, for one who was sick provoked a small flurry with the Vietnamese Becurity authorities which Mr Maideen was able to resolve without much difficulty.

2. Mr Kuo Ket-chen of Hong Kong Immigration Department introduced Ir Chou, who will head the Immigration Department team on future flights, to the Vietnamese authorities.

3. In the discussions which followed and which were conducted largely by Mr Tuyen of External Affairs on the one hand and Mr Kuo on the other, three major points arose. These were:

(a) Frequency of Flights

Mr Tuyen said that there should be many more flights. It was good that people were being reunited with their families, but the present arrangement of about one flight a month was not satisfactory. The Vietnamese would like to eee many more flights in May. When I pointed out that Mr Maideen would be away for the first half of May, they accepted that the increase in flights could be deferred until June. Mr Tuyen then delivered something akin to an ultimatum. He said that the exit permit holders were unproductive manpower. If they did not leave the country shortly some other solution would have to be found; Vietnamese would be obliged to "re-arrange their daily lives". Hr Maidoon later commented that this was the first time the Vietnamese had said this. believed that on 15 April they had received new instructions to accelerate the departure of people who were not going to stay in Vietnam (he did not explain why he thought the instructions had arrived on that date).

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Mr Tuyen said at the airport, and again when I met him the following day, that the Vietnamese would speed up the issue of exit permits to the holders of

Hr Maideen Hong Kong visas. There are signs that they are already doing so. told me on the telephone this morning that 86 ID 258 holders (76 adults and 10 children) have today been allowed to apply for exit permits. The acceptance of their applications is, as you know, a good sign that the permits will be issued.

Mr Kuo said he would look into the possibility of more flights in June.

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