Finally, despite the efforts on both sides, China decided not to sign but to leave matters as they were., Maintain- ing meanwhile regular contacts.
Now that all had gone to Limbo, political and personal pressures began to mount against all Portuguese diplomats. Meanwhile also Hong Kong and Macao papers began to print that before long Macao's status would be changed.
It was then that the Portuguese Ambassador received -a phone call from the out-going Macao Governor, Col. Garcia Leandro, who had just returned from a short visit to China. Col. Leandro said he was about to return to Lisbon but would be
passing through Paris for talks. To discuss certain important problems and to explain what was in the news and which were the counter-productive actions going on.
Upon arrival Col. Garcia Leandro explained the wishes of the people, his experience of the region.
Not long after this visit, General Melo Egidio who had never been to Macao called on the Paris Embassy. He was proceeding to Macao to become the next Governor. It was felt that he would not be able to appreciate the new circumstances. It was also said that those proposals and counter proposals and all the problems encountered did not originate solely from Portugal, but from other parts as well. In Lisbon, despite changes of Government, the policy remained almost the same. It became clear then that the problem was how best to safeguard the investments and the interests of the people of Macao.
Some months later, the Portuguese Minister went to Paris to ask the Chinese to reopen talks, which they did. The Chinese changed a few words but not their meaning and talks resumed.
The Portuguese Ministry accepted everything the Chinese had proposed and insisted that the Ambassador should sign the documents urgently.
On 8th February, 1978, both the Chinese and the Portuguese Ambassadors in Paris signed the papers.
The news of this event was flashed simultaneously at 13 hours G.M.T. in Lisbon and China. In Beijin, the names of the Chinese and the Portuguese Ambassadors were mentioned. In Lisbon however, this was censored and only parts of the documents was made known no names were mentioned.
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