TNAG-1870-FCO40-2658-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau.-With-map-1989 — Page 168

1

Translation

Sticking to Intenraitonal Organisations, the subject of discussion

Meeting of the Joint Liaison Group

"in an atmosphere of co-operation"

The representatives of the Portuguese and

of the Chinese delegations to the fifth meeting of. the Joint Liaison Group which took place this week

in Lisbon, made "significant progress" on the continuation of membership on the part of the territory of

it

Macau in international organizations, after 1999, was learned from official sources from the Portuguese

capital.

Just as "Tribuna" had previously reported first hand, the continued membership of Macau to GATT (General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade) and to the International Maritime Organisation were the main themes of this meeting in Lisbon, very important themes, we emphasized, given that the "the attitude of the Chinese delegation on this matter would be a concrete indication of high degree of autonomy that, in theory, is found expressed in the Joint Declaration":

The meeting took place "in a frank and co-operative atmosphere" states the official communique simultaneously issued in Lisbon and Peking and it adds "during the reunion the parties exchanged information and sought views on various questions arising during the period of transition in Macau, having achieved a significant progress in the respective work specifically where it comes to the process of the retention of Macau's membership to the International Maritime Organisation and to GATT". The same communique also refers to the fact that the next meeting of the Joint Liaison Group had been set to start on 5th of December.