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TELNO 283
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042302 MDLIAN 4178
HKB 18216
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INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, PEKING
YOUR TELNO 219 TO ATHENS: CHINA/HONG KONG: THE AIRPORT PROJECT: VISIT OF PRIME MINISTER TO CHINA
SUMMARY
1. PORTUGUESE SUPPORTIVE, BUT NO PUBLIC STATEMENT (YET).
DETAIL
2. ACTION TAKEN WITH CATARINO, HEAD OF THE PORTUGUESE SIDE OF THE LUSO/CHINESE JLG, ON 3 JULY.
HE
3. CATARINO WELCOMED THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT. HE HAD ALWAYS TAKEN THE VIEW THAT 'WHAT WAS GOOD FOR HONG KONG WAS GOOD FOR MACAU''. WAS PARTICULARLY PLEASED FOR SIR DAVID WILSON. CATARINO ASKED WHETHER WE COULD GIVE HIM FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT.
4. CATARINO ALSO WELCOMED THE PRIME MINISTER'S PROPOSED EARLY VISIT TO CHINA. HE SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE COMPLETLY CONSISTENT WITH THE EC AGREEMENT ABOUT THE SPECIAL POSITION OF THE UK (AND PORTUGAL) IN RELATION TO HIGH-LEVEL VISITS TO CHINA.
5. IN RESPONSE TO OUR ENQUIRY ABOUT A POSSIBLE PUBLIC STATEMENT BY PORTUGAL, CATARINO SAID THAT HE WOULD SPEAK STRAIGHT AWAY WITH DEUS PINHEIRO. NO PUBLIC STATEMENT HAS HOWEVER YET ISSUED.
COMMENT
6. HEAD OF POLITICAL SECTION HAS ARRANGED TO CALL ON CATARION ON 12 JULY TO SWAP NOTES ABOUT RECENT ANGLO-PORTUGUESE AND LUSO-PORTUGUESE JLGS. GRATEFUL FOR ANY FURHTER AIRPORT AGREEMENT BACKGROUND ON WHICH HE MIGHT DRAW.
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