TNAG-1459-FCO40-1983-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1986 — Page 46

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HE HAD SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD TABLE PAPERS UNDER ITEMS (B) AND (C) AT THE NEXT ROUND. ON THE DATE FOR THE RESUMPTION OF THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY HE HAD PROPOSED 1997. ON THE REGIME AFTER THIS DATE, HE HAD SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH THIS WAS AN INTERNAL AFFAIR FOR CHINA, THE CHINESE SIDE WAS PREPARED TO CONSULT THE PORTGUGUESE SIDE ABOUT DETAILED PRESCRIPTIONS. HE HAD ASKED THE PORTUGUESE SIDE FOR THEIR VIEWS ABOUT THE FORM OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CHINA AND PORTUGAL, SUGGESTING THAT THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT

DECALRATION WOULD BE A GOOD MODEL.

5. VALERIO SAID THAT THE POSTURE OF THE PORTUGUESE SIDE HAD BEEN ''PASSIVE"'. THERE HAD BEEN NO TIME TO WORK OUT POSITIONS ON MATTERS OF SUBSTANCE IN ADVANCE OF THE ROUND. MEDINA HAD EXPLAINED THIS SITUATION FRANKLY AT THE TABLE. HE HAD ALSO SAID THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR A CONSENSUS TO BE ESTABLISHED ON THE ISSUES AT STAKE AMONG THE PRESIDENCY, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRINCIPAL POLITICAL PARTIES IN PORTUGAL. IN GENERAL, HOWEVER, THE PORTUGUESE SIDE WOULD BE PREPARED TO FOLLOW PRECEDENTS SET FOR HONG KONG. HAD, HOWEVER, ADDED THAT PORTUGAL WOULD NOT WISH TO WITHDRAW FROM MACAO IN 1997. THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD FOR HONG KONG WAS 12 YEARS. IT SHOULD NOT BE LESS FOR MACAO. HE HAD EVOKED THE PRINCIPAL OF ''NON-DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PORTUGAL IN SUPPORT OF THIS ATTITUDE (1 EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THIS, DRAWING ON YOUR TUR).

HE

6. VALERIO DID NOT THINK THAT THE PORTUGUESE SIDE WOULD BE MUCH FURTHER FORWARD BY THE SECOND ROUND (WHICH, UNDER AN UNDERTAKING GIVEN BY MEDINA TO ZHOU NAN, WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE FIRST HALF OF SEPTEMBER). THIS WAS BECAUSE MEDINA WOULD BE TRAVELLING FOR MUCH OF JULY AND NOTHING COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN LISBON DURING AUGUST. MEDINA HAD WARNED ZHOU ABOUT THIS. BUT ZHOU HAD NOT BEEN PREPARED TO AGREE TO A LATER DATE FOR THE ROUND. HE HAD SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD TABLE THEIR PAPERS UNDER ITEMS (B) AND (C) OF THE AGENDA DURING THE SECOND ROUND.

7. VALERIO SAID THAT MEDINA HAD QUITE DELIBERATELY NOT VISITED MACAO BEFORE COMING TO PEKING. HE HAD WISHED TO SEEM A VIRGIN IN CHINESE EYES. THE PORTUGUESE WERE NOW RECONCILED TO ALL SERIOUS

NEGOTIATION TAKING PLACE IN PEKING.

EVANS

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED HD/SED. RESEARCH DEPT (FE) DEP/HD/PUSD

PS/MR RENTON SIR W HARDING MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

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