FAV 400/1
Registr
No.
DRAFT
CONFIDENTIAL
Type 1 +
ARTI
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
......................................................................... In Confidence
A
B
To:-
P J Woodfield Esq
Home Office ·
Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1H 9AJ
MR SAMUEL LENA-MAIDEEN
From
HAH Cortazzi
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
1. I was glad to receive your letter (1380228) of
25 November, 1977 about the possibility of according
Citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies to Mr Maideen.
2. I am not unmindful of the helpfulness of your resonse,
which has been discussed with Mr Tesh in Hanoi, and
has been mentioned to Mr Maideen. Bur Tesh has made a number
ん
of fresh points which could I think further affect your judgement of the case.
3. I mentioned in paragraph 2 of my letter of 30 September 1977 how Mr Maideen came to have the United Kingdom passport
that he needed in order to be able to work for the Government.
As a citizen of India, whose Government does not recognise dual citizenship, he has run the risk of the Indian Government's learning that he has United Kingdom
a
he
passporti if so, they could withdraw his Indian citizenship. Mr Tesh understands from Mr Maideen that Indian officials have
indeed been putting pressure on him to do work for them, and hinting at the possibility that they might otherwise revoke his Indian passport (which expires in September 1978 and which the Indians could if they so wished simply refuse to renew).
A.
This is a disconcerting state of affairs resulting in from Mr Maideen's work on our behalf. He does not want to work
for the Indian Government; but if the Indians withdraw his Indian passport while he is still in Vietnam, he will be in a
vulnerable position which the Vietnamese authorities could easily exploit. Even if he leaves Vietnam before his passport is withdrawn he could suffer hardship.
5. In the light of his exceptional services to the UK and to the Government of Hong Kong, we have a strong moral obligation towards him (your second paragraph refers). We know the strength of his attachment to being registered as a
Dd 108087 400M $&K 1/77
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