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106222
MDLIA 1547
4"
FOLLOWING THE MEETINGS IN LISBON DESCRIBED IN LISBON TELNO 107 OF 25 FEBRUARY AND CHINA'S REAFFIRMATION OF COMMITMENT TO THE PROJECT, THE ACTING GOVERNOR OF MACAU, NABO, SAID ON HIS RETURN ON 26 FEBRUARY, THAT CHINA HAD GIVEN QUOTE UNEQUIVOCAL POLITICAL SUPPORT UNQUOTE TO THE PROJECT. HE SAID THAT QUESTIONS ABOUT DELAYS TO THE AIRPORT PROJECT QUOTE ARE MERELY TECHNICAL AND NOT ALL POLITICAL UNQUOTE. HE SAID QUIN QICHEN HAD AGREED TO A REQUEST TO HOLD TECHNICAL TALKS ON THE PROJECT IF NECESSARY. NABO SAID HE WOULD DECIDE SHORTLY WHETHER TO SEND A PORTUGUESE-MACAU TEAM TO BEIJING. MEANWHILE LU PING AND JI PENGFEI ARE VISITING MACAU FROM 27 FEBRUARY TO 3 MARCH AT THE INVITATION OF THE MACAU BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL.
5. IN THESE VARIOUS COMMENTS THE POLITICIANS ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN THOSE CHARGED WITH BUILDING THE AIRPORT. CHINA HAS CLEARLY UNDERLINED ITS COMMITMENT TO THE PROJECT (FROM WHICH OF COURSE THEY WILL RECEIVE BENEFIT, NOT LEAST BECAUSE THE AIRPORT WILL HAVE A DIRECT CLOSED ROAD EXIT INTO CHINA IN ADDITION TO PRC IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS FACILITIES). HOWEVER THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE CHINESE HAVE STARTED TO CO-OPERATE OVER THE SUPPLY OF SAND OR THAT THEY HAVE REMOVED THEIR FANCIFUL OBJECTIONS OVER NOISE POLLUTION. UNTIL THOSE ARE RESOLVED THEY WILL IN EFFECT HAVE PUT THE PROJECT ON HOLD.
HEAP
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
85
LIMITED
HKD
AMD
SED
FED
COMED
ERD
LEGAL ADVISERS
NEWS D
INFO D
PS
ADDITIONAL
ROGERS,PEP/DTI VIC ST
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
86
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR GAREL-JONES
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
PS/PUS
MR MCLAREN
MR WESTON
MR BAYNE
MR BURNS
MR GREENSTOCK
MR SLATER
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