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5. The Vietnamese authorities have indicated generally that they hope that the flights to remove those of all nationalities for whom exit permits have been granted can be completed by September/October. To help with this they have authorised two flights to India and Japan each month and 4 flights organised monthly by the Red Cross for repatriating people to Taiwan, in addition to our flights.
We go along with this and will complete our own flights as quickly as we
can.
6. We have agreed with John and Maideen that on Maideen's return to Ho Chi Minh City he should tell the Vietnamese that our next flight, scheduled for early August is likely to be the last and that we cannot guarantee that there will be another one after that. Maideen believes that once a flight is reasonably firm we can expect a further 150 exit permits to be granted by the Vietnamese which, added to the 80 already approved (the holders of which are experiencing difficulty in getting financial clearance), should ensure a plane load. This is the theory. Practice, however, has been that, despite holding exit permits, individuals hang back. It seems unlikely that they will do so for the next flight, especially as we gather that the Security forces are hammering on doors in Ho Chi Minh City requiring Chinese either to go to the new economic zones or to leave if they have exit permits. If, despite this, the plane remains only partly full, then we will extend the departure date for a few days.
7. For planning purposes we are assuming that we may have to organise one more flight in August/September. We do not propose to say so now, since this will merely encourage the waverers to procrastinate. This projected flight should pretty well remove all those who genuinely want
to come.
8.
We have made plans to bring out the permanent staff in Maideen's office. The Vietnamese have given a verbal assurance that those in the office who want to leave (5 out of 8) and their 22 dependents can go once the exercise is completed. Their eventual resettlement is assured in various places. The Vietnamese have made it a condition of departure that all the remaining persons issued with entry permits for 3rd countries and with exit permits have departed. It seems unlikely that the Vietnamese will agree to the staff travelling on the flight in early August, but if before it leaves it seems that the demand for special flights has been exhausted and there is no need for any more, then Maideen will attempt to get them on this flight. If not, they will go on the 'final' one.
9. Maideen himself will remain in Ho Chi Minh City to clear up after the last flight. He will then leave Vietnam. By then his new passport etc. should be in his hands.
10. Arrangements will still exist for the travel from Vietnam of persons to Hong Kong and elsewhere after Maideen's office closes. We recognise that at a time when world opinion is focussing on the plight of refugees, especially Chinese in Vietnam, we shall need to
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