"
CRS 260
SECRET
as
SECRET
FM PEKING 0907002 FEB 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 189 OF 9 FEBRUARY
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG.
INFO ROUTINE LISBON.
Mikic, 040/1.
癯
PA
21x127
HONG KONG TELNO.222 AND YOUR TELNO 122 (NOT TO LISBON):
NEW TERRITORIES LEASES.
1. I AM GENERALLY CONTENT WITH THE FORMULA SUGGESTED BY
THE GOVERNOR, WHICH DIFFERS LITTLE FROM THE AGREED DRAFT AT
ANNEX 'A' TO HIS LETTER TO MCLAREN OF 21 DECEMBER. I AGREE
TO YOUR PROPOSED WORDING FOR PARA 4.
2.
WITH POSSIBLE CHINESE REACTIONS IN MIND I SHOULD, IF POSSIBLE, PREFER TO AVOID THE USE OF THE WORD 'GOVERN'?. WITHOUT FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS IT IS DIFFICULT FICULT
FOR ME TO PROPOSE AN AUTHORITATIVE ALTERNATIVE. BUT I SUGGEST **THE GOVERNOR SHALL CONTINUE TO EXERCISE (EXECUTIVE) AUTHORITY
IN THE SAME''.
3. WE NOTE THAT THE COMMUNIQUE ON ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS WITH PORTUGAL ISSUED IN PARIS ON 8 FEBRUARY
MAKES NO REFERENCE TO MACAO, NEITHER IS MACAO MENTIONED IN
AN ACCOMPANYING FRONT PAGE LEADER IN THE PEOPLE'S DAILY OF
9 FEBRUARY, WHICH CONGRATULATES PORTUGAL FOR SHAKING OFF HER
FASCIST AND COLONIALIST PAST IN 1974 AND BREAKING DIPLOMATIC
TIES WITH TAIWAN IN 1975. THE SILENCE ON MACAO REMOVES THE
RESIDUAL DOUBT WHICH WE ENTERTAINED ABOUT RAISING THE LEASES
ISSUE NOW.
CRADOCK
FILES
HKGD FED
MR.MURRAY
MR.RUSHFORD(LEGAI, ADVS)
SECRET
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