TNAG-1869-FCO40-2657-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1989 — Page 68

CONFIDENTIAL

44

167277

MDLOAN 6242

HKB

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY LISBON

TELNO 125

OF 31162OZ JULY 89

AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING

02014 TOP COPY

Q DIST?

law Yu

SINO-PORTUGUESE RELATIONS

AFTER MEETING THE PORTUGUESE FOREIGN MINISTER AT THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE SUGGESTED THAT WE KEEP IN

1.

TOUCH WITH THE PORTUGUESE OVER JLG MATTERS. HE CONSIDERED THAT THERE WAS A CASE FOR COMPARING NOTES RATHER MORE FREQUENTLY IN THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES THAN WE HAVE DONE HITHERTO. WE NEED TO CONSIDER HOW BEST THIS MIGHT BE DONE.

2.

THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE APPARENT LACK OF CO-ORDINATION AMONGST THE PORTUGUESE, AND THEIR TENDENCY TO SPEAK WITH DIFFERENT AND FREQUENTLY CONTRADICTORY VOICES. BUT THAT SHOULD

NOT STOP US FROM TOUCHING BASE AS NECESSARY. THE MOST APPROPRIATE PLACE TO OBTAIN A RELIABLE READOUT WOULD SEEM TO BE LISBON, GIVEN YOUR GOOD LINKS WITH THE RELEVANT PARTS OF THE PORTUGUESE ADMINISTRATION. THERE MAY ALSO BE SCOPE FOR THE AMBASSADOR IN PEKING TO TOUCH BASE WITH HIS PORTUGUESE OPPOSITE NUMBER. WE ALSO SEE MERIT IN

MARTIN KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH HIS OPPOSITE NUMBER IN MACAO, AND IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SPEAKING TO THE GOVERNMENT OF MACAO.

3.

GRATEFUL FOR VIEWS.

4.

(FOR HONG KONG): YOUR TELNO 2241 (NOT TO PEKING): WE DO NOT THINK THERE IS NOW ANY NEED FOR YOU TO TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO

PRESS EITHER THE PORTUGUESE CONSUL-GENERAL OR YOUR CONTACTS IN MACAO OVER THE PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY LAW. BUT YOU MAY WISH TO TAKE FURTHER SOUNDINGS WHEN SUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES ARISE.

MAJOR

YYYY

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