CONFIDENTIAL
THE PORTUGUESE STARTING POINT AS EXPLAINED TO YOU BY SA MACHADO IS THAT UNDER THE 1976 CONSTITUTION MACAU IS TERRITORY'' (BUT NOT REPEATNOT CHINESE TERRITORY'') ''UNDER PORTUGUESE
ADMINISTRATION'".
4 THE PORTUGUESE MAY DECIDE SIMPLY TO IGNORE THE CHINESE REQUEST. THEY WERE IMPRESSED BY YOUR SUGGESTION THAT THEY WERE PERHAPS SIMPLY TESTING THE ATTITUDE OF THE PRESENT PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT. LIKE US THEY THINK THAT THE CHINESE HAVE NO WISH TO HAVE MACAU.. RETURNED TO THEM AND ARE MORE THAN SATISFIED WITH THE STATUS QUO. THEY REALISE TOO THAT ANY EVENTUAL PUBLIC STATEMENT MAY CREATE
NER VOUSNESS BOTH IN MACAU AND HONG KONG.
5.
POLITICAL DIRECTOR PROMISED TO LET ME KNOW WHEN THE FORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT DECIDES HOW TO RESPOND TO THE CHINESE.
MOR AN
FILES
HK YGD (6)
FED
SED
NTD
LEGAL ADVISERS
RESEARCHi D
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
HR CORTAZZJ
MR. MURRAY MR FERGUSSON
CON
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CONFIDENTIAL