TNAG-0933-FCO40-1152-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1980 — Page 19

FEA 020

16 FEB 1979

CONFIDENTIAL

FM LISBON 1415157 FEB 70

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 956 OF 14 FEBRUARY

INFO HONG KONG

PEKING

12

HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 263 TO FCO : SINO/PORTUGUESE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.

1. AS I REPORTED IN MY TELEGRAM NUMBER 33 THERE WAS MUCH SPECULATION HERE ABOUT THE STATUS OF MACAU BEFORE THE ANNNOUNCEMENT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. BUT THERE IS NOTHING IN ANY OF THZ LOCAL PRESS REPORTS AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO SUGGEST THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SPOKE IN THE TERMS REPORTED BY UPI.

2.

GIVEN HIS INSISTENCE ON THE STRICT CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION, IE THAT MACAU IS A TERRITORY UNDER PORTUGUESE ADMINISTRATION IT

IS UNLIKELY THAT MOTA PINTO WOULD HAVE DEPARTED FROM IT OR

DESCRIBED DOLAU AS CHINESE TERRITORY.

3. AT THE SWEARING IN OF GENERAL MELO EGIDIO AS THE NEW GOVERNOR

THE OF MACAU ON 9 FEBRUARY, THE PRESIDENT TOOK THE SAME LINE. ENSHRINEMENT OF MACAU'S STATUS IN THE CONSITUTION AS A TERRITORY UNDER PORTUGUESE ADMINISTRATION WAS HE SAID, A SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK SINCE IT BROUGHT MACAU'S STATUS DIRECTLY INTO LINE WITH THE RULES AND VALUES COMMON BETWEEN CIVILISED PEOPLES AND ALSO REFLECTED THE TRUE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PORTUGUESE PRESENCE IN THE TERRITORY. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN- PORTUGAL AND CHINA, THE PRESIDENT SAID, OPENED A NEW ERA FOR MACAU BUT DID NOT IMPLY ANY LEGAL OR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN ITS

STATUS.

MORAN.

FILES

SIR A.LUFF SIR A.PARSONS

FED

SED

HKGD

FUSD

OID

IPL

NEWS D

FS

SIR R.HIBBERT

MK, CORTAZZI MR. MURRAY

MR.FERGUSSON

PS/MR.JUDD

FS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/PUS

CONFIDENTIAL