Awareness
CONFIDENTIA
2.
The first intimation that this office had of the action taken
by Mr. Buzeta was casual and arose from a photostat copy of a letter from Mr. Buzeta to Mr. Burczynski being passed to Mr. Nichols, Director of Agriculture & Fisheries, during a meeting of the South China Sea Programme Co-ordinating Committee held in Manila, 11th 12th October 1977. Tactful enquiry indicated that Mr. Woodland, the South China Sea Programme team leader, was also unaware of the action taken by Mr. Buzeta.
Action taken to date
First of all Mr. Buzeta was advised by Mr. Nichols that there could possibly be visa problems in respect of Mr. Burczynski and that
he would make enquiries upon his return to Hong Kong and contact Mr. Woodland as soon as possible. Mr. Woodland was appraised of the situation and reminded that there were objections to East European citizens entering Hong Kong even with UN passports and that permission for Mr. Burczynski to enter was unlikely to be forthcoming. It was also stressed that prior consultation could have obviated this embarrassing situation.
Upon return to Hong Kong Mr. Nichols consulted Mr. Drace-Francis who confirmed the undesirability of a visit from Mr. Burczynski; and as agreed, Mr. Nichols thereupon cabled Mr. Woodland in Manila informing him that the calibration cruise had been cancelled. A guarded telephone conversation, Nichols/Woodland, indicated that the cable offered a tactful alternative to refusal. This position was accepted by Mr. Woodland.
Subsequently a cable from Mr. Gulland, Chief of the Fisheries Resources and Environment Division, FAO, Rome, to Mr. Nichols afforded a further opportunity of informing Rome direct of the cancellation of the calibration exercise which obviated the need for Mr. Burczynski's visit whilst thanking Rome for the offer.
Footnote
In fact the second calibration cruise will go forward without assistance from either FAO Headquarters or a South China Sea Programme Should there be need for external assistance in future calibrations then consideration will be given to seeking either NORAD assistance or
assistance direct from SIMRAD.
CONFIDENTIAL
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