CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
FM FCO 241715Z
REW.STAT NO. 51
27 JUN 1977
4/44245/532/
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY HANOI TELNO 100 OF 24 JUNE
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
FROM MURRAY
NOF
66
68
Ꭸ
27
b.
HONG KONG TELS 572 AND 628, YOUR TELS NOS 98 TO HONG KONG AND 135 (NOT REPEATED) AND YOUR LETTER OF 16 JUNE: EVACUATION
OF HONG KONG BELONGERS FROM VIETNAM
1. WE ALL AGREE THAT WE MUST KEEP THE EVACUATION EXERCISE GOING AND THAT, FOR THE PRESENT, MAIDEEN IS ESSENTIAL FOR IT. WE ARE NOW ABLE TO AUTHORISE YOU TO EXTEND MAIDEEN'S PASSPORT FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS (QUOTING THIS TELEGRAM AS AUTHORITY) THOUGH I VERY MUCH FEAR THAT IT MAY BE THE FINAL EXTENSION.
2. BUT WE FACE TWO LONGER-TERM PROBLEMS. FIRST WE CANNOT COMPEL
MAIDEEN TO STAY IN SAIGON: HE MIGHT DECIDE TO LEAVE AT ANY TIME. SECONDLY WE THINK THAT THE EVACUATION OF HONG KONG BELONGERS IS MOST UNLIKELY TO FINISH BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, SO WE MUST PLAN TO KEEP THE WORK GOING IN SAIGON ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT MAIDEEN WILL NO LONGER BE THERE, WHICH IS THE ONLY REALISTIC BASIS. 3. AS THE WORK IS NOW ALMOST ENTIRELY ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG THE BEST SOLUTION WOULD BE TO STATION A COUPLE OF HONG KONG IMMIGRATION OFFICERS IN SAIGON INITIALLY FOR SIX MONTHS BUT THERE- AFTER ROTATED IF THE WORK CONTINUES. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU AND GOVERNOR HONG KONG COULD CONSIDER FEASIBILITIES. I KNOW VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES MAY BE RELUCTANT, BUT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO STRESS THE VALUE OF HAVING PEOPLE ON THE SPOT TO HELP MAIDEEN AND PROCESS APPLICATIONS, PARTICULARLY IF FLIGHTS ARE TO BE DOUBLED AND WE ARE TO MEET VIETNAMESE WISHES FOR A STEADY AND SPEEDY REPATRIATION. IT SEEMS WORTH A TRY. THE UNREVEALABLE INTENTION OF COURSE WOULD BE TO LET THE HONG KONG OFFICERS GRADUALLY LEARN THE ROPES AND THEN TAKE OVER WELL BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THUS FREEING MAIDEEN TO DECIDE HIS FUTURE FOR HIMSELF WITHOUT
OBLIGATION TO US.
CONFIDENTIAL
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