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29.977 for you undeling AKK2V3/352/, with Mr. Munday Миллау thir afternoon.
ON OF HONG KONG BELONGERS FROM VIETNAM.
- 29/6
WE AGREE THE POSITION IN SAIGON SHOULD BE REGULARISED IF POSSIBLE, BUT BEFORE ANY FURTHER APPROACH ISS MADE TO THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIE ABOUT POSTING HONG KONG IMMIGRATION OFFICERS TO SAIGON, YOU MAY LIKE TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING POINTS.
2. BOTH CONSTITUTIONALLY AND GIVEN THE CHINESE ATTITUDE TOWARDS HONG KONG, THERE IS A RISK THAT SENDING HONG KONG OFFICIALS TO ACT AS SEMI-INDEPENDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN VIETNAM MIGHT GIVE RISE TO MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL STATUS. ALTHOUGH WE DID SEND IMMIGRATION OFFICERS TO BANGKOK FOR A PERIOD IN 1976 TO HELP HONG KONG BELONGERS COMING OUT OF VIETNAM, THE SITUATION THERE WAS HARDLY COMPARABLE WITH THAT IN SAIGON. IF ANYBODY IS POSTED OFFICIALLY TO SAIGON IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR THEM TO BE SEEN TO BE BRITISH REPRESENTATIVES ACTING DIRECTLY UNDER ORDERS FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. IF FOR INSTANCE THERE WERE A FLOATER WITH CONSULAR EXPERIENCE WHO COULD GO TO SAIGON FOR 6 MONTHS THEN IT WOULD BE PRESENTATIONALLY EASIER TO ATTACH A HONG KONG IMMIGRATION OFFICER TO WORK UNDER HIM. THERE IS THE PRECEDENT OF THE FRENCH OFFICE WHICH THE VIETNAMESE HAVE ALLOWED TO OPERATE IN SAIGON TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF FRENCH BELONGERS.
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