CONFIDENTIAL
FM LISBON
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 156
OF 071143Z JUNE 89
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, PEKING
INFO ROUTINE MADRID
HKB 020/4
23
171420
MDHIAN 8289
Enter +pa.
MY TELNO 154:
PORTUGI
PORTUGAL/MACAO
“ข 21
Серияй
1. IN A PRESS CONFERENCE ON 7 JUNE AT END OF SPANISH PRIME MINISTERS VISIT TO LISBON, CAVACO SILVA STRESSED NEED TO MAINTAIN CALM IN MACAO. AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH PRESIDENT SOARES HE HAD DECIDED TO SEND HIS EDUCATION MINISTER (ROBERTO CARNEIRO) TO MACAO FOR THE PORTUGUESE NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS ON 10 JUNE AS A SIGN OF THE GOVERNMENTS CONCERN AT EVENTS IN PEKING AND THEIR CONCERN FOR THE PEOPLE OF MACAO. (CARNEIRO HAS CLOSE FAMILY TIES WITH MACAO AND IS PART CHINESE.)
2. EARLIER PORTUGUESE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (DE MELO) WAS REPORTED AS HAVING SAID THAT EVENTS IN PEKING WERE UNLIKELY TO AFFECT THE PORTUGUESE/CHINESE AGREEMENT ON MACAO WHICH HAD BEEN REACHED IN THE INTERESTS OF BOTH COUNTRIES. MEANWHILE MELANCIA WAS ALSO REPORTED AS HAVING ORDERED ON 6 JUNE THE CANCELLATION OF THE NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS IN MACAO, BUT THIS MAY HAVE RESULTED FROM LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN THE PRESIDENTS AND THE PRIME MINISTERS OFFICES.
3. I SPOKE TO PRESIDENT'S DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER (VALENTE) ON 7 JUNE. HE TOLD ME CONFIDENTIALLY THAT WHEN RAMOS GOT BACK TO LISBON, THE JLG MEETING DUE ON 31 JULY WOULD PROBABLY BE CANCELLED. THE PRESIDENT WOULD ALSO TALK TO THE PRIME MINISTER IN THE AZORES ON 8 JUNE. AN ANNOUNCEMENT MIGHT BE MADE BEFORE THE WEEKEND. I VALENTE TO THINK IN TERMS OF CLOSE COORDINATION WITH US.
ENCOURAGED
DRACE-FRANCIS
YYYY
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