TNAG-1459-FCO40-1983-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1986 — Page 103

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELNO 1779

FILE COPY

CONFIDENTIAL

COMMS O. FICE G Ho..

5625

D..: 2nd September, 1985 1735HRS D.T.D: 2nd September, 1985 1850HRS

OF Ø21030Z SEPTEMBER 85

INFO FRIORITY PEKING, LISBON, UKREP BRUSSELS.

EC.

(60)

64

YOUR TEL NO 1208 AND LISBON TELNO 410 TO YOU : MACAU :

SLCKF

LAKIAT

359

GOVERNMENT

03 SEP 1986

HANG

KONV

1. THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION IN PARA 2 OF YOUR TUR. WE HAVE REVIEWED THE SITUATION IN THE LIGHT OF IT.

2. WE ORIGINALLY RAISED THE ISSUE IN THE HOPE THAT A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION WHICH TOOK FULL ACCOUNT OF HONG KONG'S CONCERNS COULD BE FOUND IN THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS ON PORTUGUESE ACCESSION. THAT OPPORTUNITY HAS CLEARLY FASSED, ALTHOUGH SOME CLARIFICATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED FROM THE FORTUGUESE OF THE CRITERIA FOR THE GRANT OF PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY TO RESIDENTS OF MACAU.

3. THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED AND, AS FAR AS HONG KONG IS CONCERNED, WE DO NOT THINK THAT THE WIDER PUBLIC WOULD NOW SUPPORT THE

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN PRESSING FOR ACTION TO FORCE THE PORTUGUESE TO CHANGE THEIR NATIONALITY LEGISLATION, AN ACTION WHICH WOULD KEEP MACANESE OUT OF PORTUGAL AS WELL AS OUT OF THE U.K. IT

WOULD BE RESENTED BY THOSE OF PORTUGUESE ORIGIN IN HONG KONG WHO MAY BE TRYING TO ESTABLISH A CLAIM TO PORTUGUESE NATIONAL ITY THOUGH A CONNECTION WITH MACAU AND WHO MAY NOT BE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF A NATIONALITY NO HIGHER THAN BOC FOR THEIR CHILDREN. IF WE WERE SEEN TO BE TAKING THE LEAD (VIDE, E.G., THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW ARTICLE OF 22 AUGUST), WE MIGHT WELL BE ACCUSED OF CO-OPERATING WITH HMG IN BLOCKING YET ANOTHER LOOPHOLE THROUGH WHICH RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND A REFUGE IN EUROPE. PUBLIC OPINION IS NOW MORE LIKELY TO EXPECT US TO PRESS FOR FREER ACCESS FOR BDTCS RATHER THAN TO BLOCK THE WAY OF MACANESE BY DEMANDING THAT THE PORTUGUESE CHANGE THE LAW.

CONFIDENTIAL

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