CONFIDENTIAL
TOP CORY
ASS
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 170907Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE F.C.0 TELNO.897 OF 17 JULY 78,
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, LISBON.
58
HKK owell
RECEIVED
1 7 JUL 1978
48.51
DESK OFFICER INDEX
re
RY
PA
Acha: Tekan
ま
MIPT AND PEKING TELNO.420 TO F.C.0: HONG KONG AND MACAU,
1. ALL THE LOCAL INDICATIONS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THAT THE CHINESE ARE NOT ANXIOUS TO CREATE ANY DIFFICULTIES ABOUT THE MACAU ISSUE. THIS FITS IN WITH OUR GENERAL ASSESSMENT THAT THEY DO NOT AT PRESENT WISH TO DO ANYTHING WHICH MIGHT AFFECT CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND THE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE THEY GAIN FROM IT.
2. IN VIEW OF THIS, AND THE LACK OF CONCERN AT OFFICIAL LEVEL IN MACAU, IS IT NOT POSSIBLE THAT THE PORTUGUESE ARE OVER-REACTING
WE SEE TO WHATEVER WAS SAID BY THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR IN PARIS ? NO OBJECTION TO REPEATING THE ADVICE THAT THE PORTUGUESE IGNORE THE ISSUE. AS SEEN FROM HERE, WE DOUBT IF THE CHINESE ARE IN A MOOD TO PUSH FOR CONCESSIONS, EITHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, WHICH WOULD HAVE A DAMAGING EFFECT LOCALLY.
ROBERTS
FILES
HK & GD
(5)
PS
FED
SED
מחיות
RES D
LEGAL ADVISERS
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
MR FERGUSSON
CONFIDENTIAL