RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 3157
OF 251015Z SEPTEMBER 89
INFO ROUTINE LISBON
RESTRICTED
HKB 020/4
167123 MDLIAN 3090
TOP COPY
Q DIST ?
73
Ni
24/10
MACAU: CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
1. WE HAVE LEARNT FROM THE MACAU GOVERNMENT THAT THE PORTUGUESE CONSTITUTION WAS RECENTLY CHANGED TO ALLOW THE GOVERNOR TO PROPOSE TO LISBON CHANGES IN MACAU'S OWN CONSTITUTION, THE ORGANIC STATUTE. PREVIOUSLY ONLY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY IN MACAU COULD
PROPOSE SUCH CHANGES.
2. APPARTENTLY GOVERNOR MELANCIA HAS IT IN MIND (IF HE HAS NOT ALREADY DONE SO TO PROPOSE AN EXPANSION OF MACAU'S LEGISLATURE BY SIX OR SEVEN SEATS. CURRENTLY SIX SEATS ARE DIRECTLY ELECTED: SIX ARE ELECTED BY FUNCTIONAL/INTEREST GROUP CONSTITUENCIES: AND FIVE ARE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. THE NEW SEATS WOULD BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED: I.E. THERE WOULD BE TWO MORE DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS.
3. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE MOTIVATION FOR THE GOVERNOR'S MOVE IS HIS WISH TO REDRESS THE BALANCE BETWEEN CHINESE AND PORTUGUESE IN THE POLITICALLY IMPORTANT DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS. IN LAST YEAR'S ELECTIONS THE BALANCE WAS TIPPED IN FAVOUR OF CHINESE CANDIDATES WHO NOW HOLD FOUR OF THE SIX SEATS.
4. MEMBERS OF MACAU'S ADMINISTRATION SEEM CONFIDENT THAT THE BILL ΤΟ ALTER MACAU'S ORGANIC STATUTE WILL GO THROUGH THE NEXT SESSION OF THE PORTUGUESE PARLIAMENT, PERHAPS BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.. ́IN THE CONTRAST OF THIS CONFIDENCE, HOWEVER, THE PORTUGUESE CONSUL-GENERAL IN HONG KONG BELIEVES THAT CHINESE OBJECTIONS COUDD
PREVENT LISBON FROM CARRYING THE MATTER THROUGH.
5. CHINESE OBJECTIONS TO CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN MACAU HAVE BEEN
ATTRIBUTED IN PART AT LEAST TOWARDS THEIR CONCERN OVER PARALLELS BEING DRAWN WITH HONG KONG. WE WILL KEEP AN EYE ON DEVELOPMENTS
HERE AND REPORT BUT SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION FROM
LISBON THAT INDEED THE CONSITUTIONAL CHANGE REFERRED TO HAS TAKEN PLACE, AND FOR ANY VIEWS THEY MAY HAVE ON THE MACAU BILL'S CHANCES OF PASSING.
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