GR
180
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM FCO 381925Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 514 OF 30 JUN
PEKING.
неконо!.
BELLYDA
.3 **** 1978
OFFICES
INDEX
PA
TO
ST
ken
RITY LISBON
See (52) (56
YOUR TELS NOS 808 AND 811 * KONG KONG AND MACAU 1. DISCUSSED THIS QUESTION WITH THE PORTUGUESE FOREIGN MINISTER TODAY, I STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISSUE FOR HONG KONG AND
ASKED THE FOREIGN MINISTER TO KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH. HE UNDERTOOK
TO DO SO.
2. DR SA MACHADO SAID THAT THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR IN PARIS HAD
RAISED THE ISSUE DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND HAD ASKED FOR A CLEAR STATEMENT FROM
THE PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISING CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY OVER MACAU,
THE PORTUGUESE HAD RESPONDED BY QUOTING FROM THEIR 1976 CONSTITUTION WHICH STATED THAT QUOTE THE TERRITORY OF MACAU, UNDER PORTUGUESE ADMINISTRATION, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY A STATUTE IN KEEPING WITH ITS SPECIAL STATUS UNQUOTE. I EXPRESSED SURPRISE THAT THE CHINESE HAD
RAISED THE MATTER: IT WAG OUR IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE CONTENT
WITH THE STATUS QUO AND WOULD ACCEPT THE PORTUGUESE POSITION PROVIDED THEY AVCIDED ANY PUBLIC CLAIM TO SOVEREIGNTY OVER MACAU.
1 ADVISED SA MACHADO NOT TO RAISE THE MATTER WITH THE CHINESE: IT
WAS BEST LEFT ON THE BACK BURNER.
3. FULL RECORD FOLLOWS BY BAG.
OWEN
FILES
HKGD (6)
FED
SED
1
that
It is disquieting
the questions
raise
not
considering
•
danie
So
PRe
"They
the implications Bout They
für finame deste bilising situation,
should
won Col
without
NTD
LEGAL ADVISERS
for
RESEARCH D
have
PS
life
Hong Kong
(certainly) aliony
for Hong Kong
MR CORTAZZ!
MR MURRAY
thes.
ash
push
l
further.
PS/LORD GORONLY ROBERTs
MR FERGUSSON
(probably) political
For
CONFIDENTAL
Mr Sammel
AL
aloi,
they probably the Macan question
п.
to note the Minister's comments.
Goronwy - Robam
5.J
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