TNAG-1459-FCO40-1983-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1986 — Page 11

COMMENT

COMSUDENTIAL

5. ZHOU'S VISIT WAS FAIRLY CLEARLY LITTLE MORE THAN A CONTINUATION OF THE MACAU TALKS. ALTHOUGH THE PORTUGUESE HAVE BEEN CAREFUL TO SAY IN PUBLIC THAT REGIONAL ISSUES WERE ALSO DISCUSSED, VALENTE DID NOT CITE ANY. THE CHINESE WILL NO DOUBT HAVE PRESENTED THIS PRIVATELY AS A CONCESSION. OBVIOUSLY NEITHER OF OUR INTERLOCUTORS WAS TELLING ALL HE KNEW, BUT WHAT GASPAR SAID SUGGESTS THAT, OF THE REMAINING PROBLEMS, NATIONALITY STATUS, DEPENDING ON HOW IT IS RESOLVED, MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR US. I WOULD GUESS THAT STEADY PROGRESS PROBABLY IS BEING MADE, BUT THERE IS STILL MUCH IN QUESTION. CHINESE PRESSURE MAY MAKE THE PORTUGUESE STAND ON THEIR DIGNITY IN VIEW OF SENSITIVITIES ABOUT DECOLONISATION MISTAKES OF THE PAST.

6. EVEN IF AGREEMENT IS REACHED BY THE NEGOTIATORS EARLY NEXT YEAR, IT IS STILL UNCLEAR HOW IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED. THE STATUS OF MACAU IS ENTRENCHED IN THE CONSTITUTION AND THERE IS AS YET NO AGREEMENT HERE ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC MIGHT NEED TO BE INVOLVED. GENERAL ELECTIONS SOME TIME NEXT SPRING COULD STILL DELAY THINGS, THOUGH THEIR LIKELIHOOD HAS RECEDED SOMEWHAT AND MOST OBSERVERS DO NOT EXPECT THEM BEFORE AUTUMN.

SIMPSON ORLEBAR

YYYY

LPLNAN 3133

LIMITED

FED

HKD

SED

MR WILSON.

2

CONFIDENTIAL