GRS 430
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 4154
Cen
OF 16084OZ DECEMBER 86
1KK 020/3
RECEN
REGISTRY
16 DEC 1986
DEU
.C.
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, LISBON
INDEX
PA
PEGISTRY Action Taken
73
TOP COPY Q DIST?
MACAU
1. I HAD AN INFORMAL CHAT ON 4 DECEMBER WITH MONJARDINO, DEPUTY GOVERNOR AND FINANCIAL SECRETARY IN MACAU. HE IS A BANKER, WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY SELECTED BY SOARES FOR HIS CURRENT POST. HE WAS EDUCATED AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH SCHOOL IN LISBON AND LONDON UNIVERSITY, AND SPEAKS EXCELLENT ENGLISH.
2. MONJARDINO SAID LITTLE OF INTEREST ABOUT THE TALKS ON MACAU, EXCEPT TO HINT STRONGLY THAT PORTUGAL WOULD CONCEDE ITS AIM TO POSTPONE THE TRANSFER UNTIL 2004 AND WOULD ACCEPT 2000.
3. MONJARDINO SAID THE HE WOULD LIKE TO SEND SOMEONE FROM THE MACAU ADMINISTRATION TO TALK TO THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE HERE ABOUT PENSIONS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS. HE HOPED FOR A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFICIALS IN HONG KONG AND MACAU. HE REMARKED THAT IT WAS SOME TIME SINCE THE GOVERNORS OF THE TWO TERRITORIES HAD MET (SIR EDWARD YOUDE NEVER DID MEET PINTO MACHADO, WHO TOOK UP HIS POST IN MAY THIS YEAR, AND LAST MET THE PREVIOUS GOVERNOR WHEN HE PAID AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO HONG KONG IN APRIL 1985). HE HOPED THAT A MEETING, EVEN AN INFORMAL ONE, COULD TAKE PLACE BEFORE TOO LONG.
4. WE TOUCHED ON MACAU'S AMBITIONS TO BUILD AN AIRPORT AND OTHER MAJOR INSTALLATIONS AND I ASKED ABOUT FINANCING. TO MY SURPRISE MONJARDINO SAID THAT THIS WAS NO PROBLEM. MACAU HAD ENORMOUS RESERVES.
5. FINALLY MONJARDINO ASKED THAT THE ROYAL HONG KONG JICKEY CLUB SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO ORGANIZE HORSE RACES IN MACAU, WITH OFF- COURSE BETTING HERE. THIS IS AN OLD CHESTNUT, AND A NON-STARTER FOR US.
COMMENT
6. THE HINT OVER THE TRANSFER DATE IS OF INTEREST, BUT WE DO NOT KNOW HOW WELL MONJARDINO IS PLUGGED INTO THE THINKING IN LISBON.
7. I SEE NO DIFFICULTY OVER BETTER CONTACTS BETWEEN OUR TWO ADMINISTRATION OVER PRACTICAL MATTERS OF LOCAL BILATERAL CONCERN, AND WOULD BE QUITE PREPARED TO LET SCS BRIEF MACANESE OFFICIALS ON PENSIONS OR OTHER MATTERS. I DO NOT HOWEVER WISH TO ESTABLISH A DIALOGUE BETWEEN US OVER DEALINGS WITH THE CHINESE. WE WOULD NOT WISH THE PORTUGUESE TO SUGGEST, INADVERTENTLY OR OTHERWISE, TO THE CHINESE THAT THEY HAD BEEN TAKING ADVICE FROM US ON HOW TO HANDLE
Confidential
/ THEIR