HKC028/1
RESTRICTED
127320 MDLIAN 5153
Mr Sainty.
V. useful account.
RESTRICTED
FM LISBON
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 185
OF 19150OZ APRIL 91
Macam.
fa for 2314
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, JLG HONG KONG
TENTH LUSO/CHINESE LIAISON GROUP, 9-12 APRIL
SUMMARY
BUT
1. TENTH LUSO/CHINESE JLG DESCRIBED BY CATARINO AS 'LABORIOUS'. PROGRESS ON IDENTITY CARDS AND LANGUAGE. CONTINUING CHINESE SUSPICION ABOUT MACAU JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT SLOW PACE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LOCALISATION. AIRPORT PROBLEMS SEEM TO HAVE RECEDED SINCE QIAN QICHEN'S VISIT TO LISBON.
DETAIL
2. HEAD OF POLITICAL SECTION CALLED ON CATARINO ON 18 APRIL FOR A READ-OUT OF THE LUSO/CHINESE JLG ON 9-12 APRIL. CATARINO DESCRIBED THE MEETING AS A RATHER LABORIOUS' ONE. THERE HAD IN PARTICULAR BEEN A LONG WRANGLE OVER THE SIGNATURE OF THE JOINT MINUTES, DURING WHICH THE CHINESE HAD BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT OVER QUESTIONS OF TRANSLATION.
3. THE PORTUGUESE HAD NEVERTHELESS SECURED CHINESE AGREEMENT TO THE PRINCIPLE THAT NEW IDENTITY CARDS FOR MACAU RESIDENTS WOULD REMAIN VALID AFTER 1999 UNTIL THEIR REPLACEMENT BY ID CARDS ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION. THE PORTUGUESE HOWEVER HAD NOT GOT EVERYTHING THEY HAD WANTED. THEY HAD ARGUED THAT MACAU IDENTITY CARDS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT AFTER 1999 TO CERTIFY RESIDENTS AS FULFILLING THE 7 YEAR RULE FOR CONTINUED RESIDENT STATUS. THE CHINESE HAD SAID THAT PORTUGUESE DEMANDS WERE IMPINGING ON CHINA'S POST-1999 PREROGATIVES. IN THE END THE CHINESE HAD AGREED ON THE SUBSTANCE, BUT HAD REFUSED TO PUT THAT AGREEMENT IN WRITING. THE PORTUGUESE WILL BEGIN ISSUING NEW IDENTITY DOCUMENTS IN 1992.
4. THE JLG HAD ALSO SET THE SEAL ON THE AGREEMENT REACHED DURING QIAN QICHEN'S FEBRUARY VISIT TO LISBON (MY TELNO 107) THAT THE BASIC LAW WOULD CONTAIN A PROVISION GIVING PORTUGUESE OFFICIAL STATUS BEYOND 1999. THE PORTUGUESE IN RETURN HAD UNDERTAKEN TO INTRODUCE BEFORE THE END OF 1991 LEGISLATION GIVING CHINESE EQUIVALENT STATUS TO PORTUGUESE UP TO 1999.
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