3.
2 -
CONFIDENTIAL
Monjardino confirmed that Macau was thinking seriously about building an airport at Taipa. He spoke of a 3,000 metre runway which could take 747's, although he did not envisage many intercontinental services. He asked if the development of an airport at Macau might, in some way, help Hong Kong by taking up some of the passenger and cargo traffic as Kai Tak became saturated. PA made it fairly clear that we were thinking
in terms of a replacement airport for Kai Tak in the foreseeable but not very near future and that we had no doubt that this had to be close to the urban area of Hong Kong.
4.
It is curious that Monjardino, who comes across as a very level-headed fellow, should have entertained the notion that Hong Kong might want its air cargo to be diverted through
Macau.
Lbr
(R. N. Peirce)
Deputy Political Adviser
3rd April, 1987
c.c.
PS/GH SGD
T. W. M. Smith, Esq., HKD, FCO R. Fletcher-Cooke, Esq., FED C. O. Pigott, Esq., Peking
CONFIDENTIAL