SUBMISSION
EVACUATION OF MACAO
On 14 January, through their Ambassador in London and their Consul-General in Hong Kong, the Portuguese Government asked for assistance from the Government of Hong Kong in the event of an evacuation from Macao becoming necessary.
2.
As clarified in further exchanges, the request, made by the Portuguese as part of their preparation of contingency plans, is for
(a) the provision of "accommodation and maintenance"
facilities for up to 6,000 Portuguese civilian nationals of European and Chinese extraction while in transit to some other Portuguese territory (plus possibly assistance to a few residents of Macao who are not Portuguese nationals and who are e.g. not persona grata with the Chinese Government); and
(b) assistance with the transport of evacuees from
Macao to Hong Kong.
The Portuguese Ambassador has made it clear that they expect only a few hundred persons will be involved and at the most a thousand or two and that his Government will be responsible for all expenditure connected with the
evacuation.
Recommendation
3.
We recommend that
(a) the Portuguese Government be informed that in
principle the authorities at Hong Kong will provide the facilities requested in evacuating Macao to the extent that they are able, having in mind the considerations set out in paragraph 7 below. (Draft telegram submitted.)
(b) we should not, as the Governor of Hong Kong has
suggested, try to influence the Portuguese Government in their handling of the dispute.
14.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.