TNAG-1626-FCO40-2240-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1987 — Page 6

BNM

ZCZC

LPLNAN 4236

RESTRICTED

TT FCOLN

TT BREEC

FM LISBO TO FCOLN

071155Z AP3

GRS 270

RESTRICTED

FM LISBON

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER

OF 0711552 APRIL 87

MR

зміти.

Rey. Pl Stain

me

see it.

& C.C

PLEASE NOTE

COPY TO HKD

X

Y

40

let

CUT

LA PAUELL TO

ECO(E) (1)

ONLY.

AND TO TELELETTER UKREP BRUSSELS

FROM: D G MARTI, LISBON

TO : R A E GORDON, ECD(E), FCO

COPIED TO : ECD(10) : HXD : FED : SED : P THOMAS, UKREP BRUSSELS :

P DURBIN, IND, HOME OFFICE

MACAU

x 11.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TELELETTER OF 2 APRIL. WE WILL OF COURSE SEEK

TO PUT THESE CONCERNS OVER AS SOON AND AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

2. ↑ SHOULD POINT OUT, HOWEVER, THAT IN MY UNDERSTANDING THE

PORTUGUESE VIEW OF THIS QUESTION IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM OUR OWN.

THEY DO NOT SEE THE ARRIVAL OF AT MOST 80,000 MACANESE BEFORE THE

END OF THE CENTURY AS A MASSIVE PROBLEM AND SAY THAT IN ANY CASE NO

MORE THAN 10,000 WOULD ACTUALLY COME. THEIR ATTITUDE IS BEST SUMMED

UP IN GASPAR'S COMMENTS IN PARA 4 OF OUR TELNO 364 OF 27 NOVEMBER

1986. THE PORTUGUESE THUS SIMPLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS TO BE

AN INFLUX WITH WHICH THEY COULD NOT EASILY COPE. THERE IS AN ELEMENT

OF COMPLACENCY IN THIS, NO DOUBT INFORMED BY THE EXPECTATION THAT A LARGE PROPORTION OF THOSE WHO DO COME WOULD PROBABLY END UP IN

LONDON, BOTH BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKELY TO SPEAK BETTER ENGLISH THAN

PORTUGUESE AND BECAUSE OF THE BETTER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

AVAILABLE IN THE ESTABLISHED CHINESE COMMUNITY IN BRITAIN.

3. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHAT WE WOULD BE ASKING THE PORTUGUESE TO DO

EITHER IN TERMS OF RESTRICTING THE VALIDITY OF A PORTUGUESE PASSPORT

BELONGING TO A MACANESE OR PERHAPS OF RETROACTIVELY REMOVING THE RIGHT TO ONE WOULD BE POLITICALLY, EXTREMELY SENSITIVE HERE. ) DOUBT

THAT THEY WOULD CONTEMPLATE IT UNLESS IT WERE CLEAR THAT HUGE

NUMBERS WERE LIKELY TO SEEK TO COME PORTUGAL.

4. AT THE PRESENT MOMENT, WHEN THE GOVERNMENT HAS JUST FALLEN AND IS

ONLY IN OFFICE ON A CARETAKER BASIS, THE PROSPECT OF ANYBODY BEING

RECEPTIVE TO OUR APPROACHES IS, FEAR, SMALL. THE GOVERNMENT IS

BASKING IN THE SATISFACTION OF PULLING OFF WHAT THEY REGARD AS A

CREDITABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE AND THEY WILL NOT BE ANXIOUS

TO CAST A SHADOW OVER THIS SUCCESS BY STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY.

SIGNED D G MARTIN

LPLNAN 4236

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