TNAG-0848-FCO40-1058-Future-of-Hong-Kong-New-Territories-leases-1979 — Page 150

"

CRS 260

SECRET

as

SECRET

FM PEKING 0907002 FEB 79

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 189 OF 9 FEBRUARY

AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG.

INFO ROUTINE LISBON.

Mikic, 040/1.

癯

PA

21x127

HONG KONG TELNO.222 AND YOUR TELNO 122 (NOT TO LISBON):

NEW TERRITORIES LEASES.

1. I AM GENERALLY CONTENT WITH THE FORMULA SUGGESTED BY

THE GOVERNOR, WHICH DIFFERS LITTLE FROM THE AGREED DRAFT AT

ANNEX 'A' TO HIS LETTER TO MCLAREN OF 21 DECEMBER. I AGREE

TO YOUR PROPOSED WORDING FOR PARA 4.

2.

WITH POSSIBLE CHINESE REACTIONS IN MIND I SHOULD, IF POSSIBLE, PREFER TO AVOID THE USE OF THE WORD 'GOVERN'?. WITHOUT FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS IT IS DIFFICULT FICULT

FOR ME TO PROPOSE AN AUTHORITATIVE ALTERNATIVE. BUT I SUGGEST **THE GOVERNOR SHALL CONTINUE TO EXERCISE (EXECUTIVE) AUTHORITY

IN THE SAME''.

3. WE NOTE THAT THE COMMUNIQUE ON ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC

RELATIONS WITH PORTUGAL ISSUED IN PARIS ON 8 FEBRUARY

MAKES NO REFERENCE TO MACAO, NEITHER IS MACAO MENTIONED IN

AN ACCOMPANYING FRONT PAGE LEADER IN THE PEOPLE'S DAILY OF

9 FEBRUARY, WHICH CONGRATULATES PORTUGAL FOR SHAKING OFF HER

FASCIST AND COLONIALIST PAST IN 1974 AND BREAKING DIPLOMATIC

TIES WITH TAIWAN IN 1975. THE SILENCE ON MACAO REMOVES THE

RESIDUAL DOUBT WHICH WE ENTERTAINED ABOUT RAISING THE LEASES

ISSUE NOW.

CRADOCK

FILES

HKGD FED

MR.MURRAY

MR.RUSHFORD(LEGAI, ADVS)

SECRET

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