1 dl - de paisata Proto mdadavinarka
L3M 168/1/
PP FCO
RA HONG KONG
RR PEKING
нкк
HKKC 020/1
امده
GR250
CONFIDENTIAL
No
nal
FM LISBON 1415152 FEB 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 066 OF 14 FEBRUARY
・
INFO HONG KONG
See
PEKING
FRO
SEO
ни
ADVANCE COPY
Om for Paws)
д
15/55
Mr wefamson fill-
Mis Wilis ON 1/2
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 263 TO FCO : SINO/PORTUGUESE
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.
1. AS ! REPORTED IN MY TELEGRAM NUMBER 33 THERE WAS MUCH SPECULATION HERE ABOUT THE STATUS OF MACAU BEFORE THE ANNNOUNCEMENT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. BUT THERE IS NOTHING IN ANY OF THZ LOCAL PRESS REPORTS AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO SUGGEST THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SPOKE IN THE TERMS REPORTED BY UP!,
2.
GIVEN HIS INSISTENCE ON THE STRICT CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION, IC THAT MACAU IS A TERRITORY UNDER PORTUGUESE ADMINISTRATION IT IS UNLIKELY THAT MOTA PINTO WOULD HAVE DEPARTED FROM IT OR
DESCRIBED DOLAU AS CHINESE TERRITORY.
3. AT THE SWEARING IN..OF GENERAL MELO EGIDIO AS THE NEW GOVERNOR OF MACAU ON 9 FEBRUARY, THE PRESIDENT TOOK THE SAME LINE, THE ENSHRINEMENT OF MACAU'S STATUS IN THE CONSITUTION AS A TERRITORY UNDER PORTUGUESE ADMINISTRATION WAS HE SAID, A SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK SINCE IT BROUGHT MACAU'S STATUS DIRECTLY INTO LINE WITH THE RULES AND VALUES COMMON BETWEEN CIVILISED PEOPLES AND ALSO REFLECTED THE TRUE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PORTUGUESE PRESENCE IN THE TERRITORY, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN PORTUGAL AND CHINA, THE PRESIDENT SAID, OPENED A NEW ERA FOR MACAU BUT DID NOT IMPLY ANY LEGAL OR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN ITS
STATUS.
RAN