HOFO 005/08
TT FCO
TT PEKING
TT LISBON
GR 400
CONFIDENTIAL
HKCK
RECEIV
020/4
R?
14 MAR 1984
DESK UPELIO
INDEX
4873
TELELETTER
FROM: R.P. MARGOLIS, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
FILE REF: SCR 13/4841/59 VIII
TO: N.J. COX ESQ., FED, FCO
COPIED TO: D.G. BLUNT ESQ., PEKING
DATED 8 MARCH 1984
R.J.F. HOARE ESQ., (HKD, FCO
K:
CHANCERY LISBON
16
See (17)
MACAU CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS.
15
1. OUR TELNO 599 (NOT TO LISBON) RECORDED THE POINTS MADE BY
THE GOVERNOR TO THE GOVERNOR OF MACAU ON THE FUTURE. REAR
ADMIRAL ALMEIDA E COSTA BEGAN THE MEETING WITH A LENGTHY AND
RATHER CONFUSED ACCOUNT OF THE DISPUTE BETWEEN HIM AND THE
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED ACCOUNTS FROM THE
ACCTING PORTUGUESE CONSUL-GENERAL IN HONG KONG AND FROM MR
ROGER LOBO, SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF LEGCO, WHO HAS CLOSE
CONNECTIONS WITH MACAU. WHAT FOLLOWS IS AN ATTEMPT TO DISTILL
A COHERENT STORY FROM THESE ACCOUNTS. LISBON MAY WISH TO COMMENT.
2. THE ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO LIE IN GOVERNOR ALMEIDA
E COSTA'S DESIRE TO BREAK THE STRANGLEHOLD OVER THE PROCEEDINGS
OF THE ASSEMBLY EXERCISED BY THE PORTUGUESE/MACANESE MEMBERS.
UNDER THE ORGANIC LAW FOR MACAU, THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY IS MADE UP OF 5 MEMBERS NOMINATED BY THE GOVERNOR, 6 DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS AND 6 INDIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS. PORTUGUESE/
MACANESE ACCOUNT FOR MOST OF THE DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS AND 1
OR 2 OF THE INDIRECTLY ELECTED ONES. THEY ARE MOSTLY CIVIL
SERVANTS WHO RESENT THE BRINGING IN OF EXPATRIATES FROM PORTUGAL (WHICH REAR ADMIRAL ALMEIDA E COSTA IS APPARENTLY FOND OF DOING). THEY HAVE ALSO MADE THE RULES AND PROCEDURES OF THE ASSEMBLY SO SOMPLICATED THAT THE CHINESE MEMBERS FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY.
3. REAR ADMIRAL ALMEIDA E COSTA CLAIMED THAT HIS PURPOSE WAS TO TRANSFORM THE ASSEMBLY INTO A FORUM IN WHICH THE VIEWS OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN MACAU COULD BE ADEQUATELY EXPRESSED, HOWEVER, I SEEMS THAT PORTUGUESE DOMESTIC POLITICS MAY BE MIXED UP IN THIS. REAR ADMIRAL ALMEIDA E COSTA IS BELIEVED TO HAVE PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ACCUSATIONS IN MACAU THAT HIS PROPOSALS WERE DESIGNED TO FURTHER THESE AMBITIONS. HE REFERRED TO THESE ACCUSATIONS DURING THE DISCUSSION WITH THE GOVERNOR BUT HE DID NOT DENY THEM. ONE OF THE EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED REFORMS WOULD BE TO IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF THE LESS INFLUENTIAL OF THE TWO REGISTERED CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, CDM OF RETURNING CANDIDATES TO THE ASSEMBLY, THE DOMINANT CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS ADIM, LED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, DR CARLOS ASSUMPCAO, AND WHICH HAS LINKS WITH THE CDS IN PORTUGAL. (THE CDM HAS LINKS WITH THE SOCIALIST PARTY).
4. THE SITUATION IS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND THE ASSEMBLY APPEAR TO HAVE ACTED UNCONSTITUTIONALLY WHILE THE PROPOSALS WERE BEING BATTED TO AND FRO.
5. FED REGISTRY PLEASE PASS TO HKD.
SIGNED R.P. MARGOLIS
MNNN