GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1583
CONFIDENTIAL
OF 010807Z NOVEMBER 85
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE LISBON
MY TELNO 1597 AND YOUR TELEGRAM NU 933 (NCT TO LISBON) * HONG
KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED: JOINT LIAISON CROUP: EMBASSY HOSPITALITY
1.
SUGGEST THAT THE TEA PARTY FOR HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ON 29 NOVEMBER SHOULD BE HELD AT MY HOUSE. I HAVE ENTERTAINED THE HONG KONG PRESS THERE IN THE PAST AND THEY MIGHT FEEL THAT THEY HAD IN SOME WAY BEEN DOWN-GRATED IN OUR EYES IF THE RECEPTION WERE TO BE
HELD ELSEWHERE.
2.
1. LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THE WHOLD OF THE BRITISH TEAM TO AN INFORMAL MEAL AT MY HOUSE. I WILL NOT MAKE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE TIMING UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT PROGRAMME OF HOSPITALITY THE CHINESE
HAVE IN MIND.
3. 1 HOPE THAT WILSON WILL BE ABLE TO FIND TIME TO MEET VALERIO, THE NEW PORTUGUESE AMBASSADOR, SOME TIME DURING HIS TIME IN PEKING, PERHAPS OVER A MEAL. VALERIO IS INTELLIGENT AND ENGAGING: AND HE IS VERY KEEN TO SEEK OUR ADVICE ABOUT HOW THE PORTUGUESE SHOULD CONDUCT THEIR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MACAO. I HAVE MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF A MEETING TO VALERIO,
WHO SAID THAT HE WOULD VERY MUCH WELCOME ONE.
4.
IN THIS CONNECTION, VALERIO TOLD ME A FEW DAYS AGO THAT HE HAD BEEN CONTINUING TO RESIST CHINESE PRESSURE FOR AN EARLY OPENING OF TALKS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MACAO. THE PORTUGUESE FOREIGN MINISTER HAD TOLD WU XUEQIAN IN NEW YORK IN SEPTEMBER THAT THE NEW PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT, WHATEVER ITS XOMPLEXION, WOULD NOT BE READY TO OPEN TALKS UNTIL NEXT YEAR. WU HAD SEEMED TO ACCEPT THIS. BUT ZHOU NAN HAD RECENTLY BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIM IN PEKING, TO SUGGEST THAT INFORMAL TALKS ABOUT PROCEDUARAL MATTERS' SHOULD BEGIN EARLIER. VALERIO HAD TOLD ZHOU THAT THIS WOULD BE PREMATURE.
EVANS
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
RESEARCH D (FE)
D/HD PUSD
MR WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL