I C Orr Esq
FED
FCO
Dear Orr!
CONFÏDENILAL
British Embassy
LISBON
28 March 1984
HKCK 02014.
RECEIVER !
13 APR 1994
DEVK OFFICER
Л
вал
20
17
MACAU
1
7. My letter to Cox of 15 March. I have received a
number of further impressions of recent developments in Macau from sources in the offices of President Eanes and Prime Minister Mario Soares.
2.
Both Eanes and Soares have apparently been uneasy about Almeida e Costa's behaviour as Governor. They appreciate he has had a difficult task balancing the competing vested interests but feel his aggressive pitch to expand the Governor's capacity to intervene in day-to-day life has created undue instability in the territory. There were also, I understand, doubts as to the use to which Almeida e Costa has put his not inconsiderable salary in Portuguese terms (about £30,000 a year tax free).
3.
The Chinese had apparently made clear their disquiet to the Portuguese at the turn of events in Macau. The last thing they wanted was an area of uncertainty on their borders. Both Soares (who had advised the President against dissolving the Assembly) and Eanes now saw the replacement of Almeida e Costa as the best way to defuse the situation.
There was, however, a shortage of good candidates and the former Deputy Foreign Minister, Leonardo Mathias (at present Ambassador in Washington) had been advised against accepting.
4. Our expectation is that the Portuguese will now concentrate on soothing the Chinese to avoid the danger of provoking a whole series of disruptive events.
cc:
CO Hum Esq, Hong Kong Dept
R Codrington Esq, SED
Your ever
Paul Have
P W HARE
RP Margolis Esq, Deputy Political Adviser,
Hong Kong
CONFIDENTIAL
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