A
CONFIDENTIAL
Sumo to
Mr. W.S., Carre
C.o. (D.TR).
शुभ
BRITISH EMBASSY,"
WASHINGTON, D.C.
28 September, 1967.
AS
5,10,67,
On 26 September Donald of the State Department read to me from a telegram reporting on the visit which Senator Mansfield had paid to Macao in the course of his recent Far Eastern tour. The Senator's visit caused some embarrassment to the U.S. Consulate-General at Hong Kong whose policy has been to restrict visits to Macao by American nationals and in particular by U.S. servicemen on rest and recreation. When therefore the Senator came back and, at a press conference in Hong Kong said how normal everything was and made encouraging noises about American tourists going there, the Americans were rather set back and I understand that there is going to be a relaxation of their rules.
2. The Senator clearly not the full treatment from the Governor of Macao upon whom he called and who was accompanied by Senhor da Silva. In the way to which those in Hong Kong at least have become accustomed the Governor explained how quiet and satisfactory the situation now was in Mecao. Economically things were going ahead, tourism was booming and there was evidence of considerable new investment from outside. In reply to Senator Mansfield's question the Governor alleged that this new investment came from Chinese in Hong Kong. The Governor also said that they intended to dredge and improve harbour facilities so as to make it possible to bring alongside vessels of up to one thousand tons. Contrary to the impression which was given by other Portuguese pronouncements on the subject when I was in Hong Kong, the Governor did not say anything to suggest that the Tortuguese were trying to build up a port which would compete with Hong Kong in the handling of world shipping a concept which is, I gather, entirely beyond the bounds of possibility for purely technical reasons.
3. Senator Mansfield asked about relations with the Chinese. The Governor said that these were organised outside official channels. Any discussions tended to take place either in Macao or at the frontier rather than in Canton which had happened in the past.
G
J.B.Denson Esq., C.B.E.,
Far Eastern Department, FOREIGN OFFICE.
CONFIDENTIAL
/He mentioned
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63
4 OCT1967
HWB-3/3
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