CONFIDENTIAL
IMPORTANCE IN WORLD AFFAIRS, BUT THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WERE
DETERMINED THAT THE PRESENT STATUS OF MACAO SHOULD NOT BE ALTE 40.
THE WOULD NOT, HE SAID, GO ANY FURTHER THAN WAS LAID DOWN IN THE CONSTITUTION, NAMELY THAT IT WAS A TERRITORY UNDER PORTUGUESE
ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS TO BE GOVERNED BY A STATUTE IN
KEEPING WITH ITS SPECIAL SITUATION*'. 1 ASKED IF THE CHINESE WERE
THE TRYING TO GET/PORTUGUESE TO AGREE TO AN ALTERATION IN MACAO'S STATUS. HE SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT REALLY DOING THAT, BUT THEY DID WANT TO INCLUDE SOME WORDING (PRESUMABLY IN THE DRAFT COMMUNIQUE) WHICH THE PORTUGUESE REGARDED AS UNSATISFACTORY.
HE THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT TO AVOID ANY AMBIGUITY. A LITTLE MORE
TIME WOULD BE NEEDED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
•
4. WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER SAID SUGGESTS THAT THE EXPRESSO
ARTICLE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT. ANOTHER PAPER, TEMPO, ALLEGED ON 25 JANUARY THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER HAD SECRETLY
VISITED PARIS ON 20 JANUARY TO TRY TO RESOLVE THE MATTER.
5.
THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAVE CERTAINLY FAILED TO CARRY OUT THE
UNDERTAKING GIVEN BY DR SA MACHADO THAT WE SHOULD BE KEPT INFORMED
AND WE HAVE POINTED THIS OUT TO THEM. THE REASON I AM SURE
IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN TWO FOREIGN MINISTERS AND MUCH CONFUSION
SINCE THEN. I WILL TRY TO PERSUADE THE NEW MINISTER TO KEEP US
BETTER INFORMED IN FUTURE.
6, MEANWHILE, THE OUTGOING GOVERNOR OF MACAO IS DUE HERE TODAY AFTER HAVING VISITED PEKING AND TOKYO, AND HIS SUCCESSOR GENERAL MELO EGIDIO, WILL TAKE UP HIS POST NEXT MONTH.
MOR AN
FILES
FED
SED
PUSD
HK & GD
IPD
OID
NEWS D
PS
PS/MR JUDD
FS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
PS/PUS
FIRA HIBBERT
ERMORE
MR FERGUSSON
-2- CONFIDENTIAL
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.