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give a careful and convincing explanation of the reasons why the special flights are being discontinued. We will telegraph later giving the terms in which we would propose to answer questions. Obviously the first point will be that the flights were arranged to meet a particular need, namely the travel to Hong Kong of persons who had some claim to Hong Kong. This operation was always limited in scope and by the time it is completed, virtually everyone with a claim to Hong Kong will have been repatriated. Accordingly there is no need for further special flights for this purpose.
We would propose to draw on the information in the next paragraph about the future.
11.
For those who do remain in Vietnam, and who hold entry permits to Hong Kong already issued, facilities exist for them to fly to Bangkok on commercial airlines. Air France already run a regular service and Air Vietnam and Thai International will be operating regular services next month. The fact that such persons have not been repatriated on the charter flights has not been due to any reluctance by Hong Kong to issue them with the necessary permits, but because of the bureaucratic processes in Vietnam. Even so, there will be facilities for such persons to leave Vietnam once the Vietnamese issue exit permits.
12. You may be concerned that some persons with a claim on Hong Kong may not have applied to come because of ignorance of the special arrangements and that they will suffer when the operation comes to a halt suddenly. Both John and I believe that because the Chinese in Cholon are such a closeknit community, it is extremely unlikely that anyone with any claim at all on Hong Kong is unaware of Maideen's operations and therefore there is little or no risk of criticism on this score. For the very few persons who, for some reason or other, have not applied to us for an entry permit, but who believe that they have an entitlement, it will, I fear, be more difficult for them to get an entry permit for Hong Kong than when Maideen and his office was in existence. But it will by no means be impossible. We think that in practice such persons will probably apply to relatives in Hong Kong for sponsorship, although some may well apply through the Embassy in Hanoi. We will then examine the claim and, if we are reasonably satisfied that it is valid, we will authorise the Embassy in Hanoi to issue a visa. However, where there are doubts about the validity of the claim (and increasingly we are seeing forged applications and papers purporting to be evidence of "marriages" etc.) there will be no way of checking the facts with the Vietnamese authorities except through the Embassy in Hanoi. For this category it will inevitably be much more difficult to secure an entry permit to Hong Kong. Unhappily we can see no way round this.
13.
To summarise an overlong letter: on his return to Vietnam Maideen will put it about that we cannot guarantee another flight after the next one scheduled for early August. We hope that this announcement will secure a full flight. If it does not we shall postpone it for a short time. If it still remains poorly supported,
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