TNAG-0035-FCO40-71-Relations-with-Macao-1968 — Page 47

MR. DE LA MARE

CONFIDENTIAL

1/54

H.M. Consulate in Macao

:

Flag A

Problem

At the height of anti-British demonstrations in Macao when it was clear that the Portuguese authorities were neither willing nor able to afford protection, H.M. Onsul and his staff were withdrawn. The post has been temporarily closed since then. We now have to consider whether the Consulate in Macao should be closed permanently.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that we should:

(a) decide in principle to close the Macao Consulate; (b) make no announcement of the closure for the time

being, nor inform the Portuguese authorities of our intention, nor terminate the leases to our

buildings;

(c) ask the Portuguese authorities to help us to remove

our remaining files, personal effects and stores

to Hong Kong;

(d) pay off the local staff employed at the Consulate

as from 1 August.

3. I attach a draft telegram to Lisbon and Hong Kong with which Consular, Security, E. & O., Accommodation and Central Departments and the Commonwealth Office (D.T.D.) concur.

Arrument

4.

After several days of Communist-organised anti-British demonstrations, H.M. Consul and his staff were withdrawn from Mecao on 25 May. It was quite clear that the Portuguese authorities were both unwilling and incapable of giving adequate protection to the Consul and his staff. The local

/staff