UNCLASSIFIED
0
17
MDLIAN 7809
5. COLVIN ASKED FONSECA ABOUT BASIC LAW, AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS AND RELATIONS WITH THE CHINESE. HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE DIFFERENT SITUATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (NO NEED FOR A SEPARATE BILL OF RIGHTS), ON THE CONSTITUTION OF MACAO (REPORTING TO THE PRESIDENT OF PORTUGAL NOT THE PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT), ON PASSPORTS (THOSE BORN IN MACAO PRE 1974 AUTOMATICALLY PORTUGUESE CITIZENS. NATIONALITY OF SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS POST 1999 UNRESOLVED)
THE SINO LUSITANIAN JOINT DECLARATION (NO MENTION OF AIRPORTS OR AVIATION). HE WAS TOLD OF CHINESE CONCERNS ON LAW, LANGUAGE AND LOCALISATION.
6.
AND ON
COMMENT: THE MACAO GOVERNMENT, AS ALWAYS, MADE NO EFFORT TO HIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES WITH THE CHINESE OR THEIR FUNDAMENTALLY GLOOMY
PICTURE OF POST 1999 MACAO. COLVIN IS THE ONLY MP APART FROM FRANCIS MAUDE TO HAVE VISITED MACAO IN RECENT YEARS. HE LEFT WITH SOME FEEL
FOR THE TERRITORY AND HOW DIFFERENT IT IS FROM HONG KONG.
SMITH-LAITTAN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
19
MINIMAL HKD
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
19
FED
PAGE
2
UNCLASSIFIED