TNAG-1870-FCO40-2658-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau.-With-map-1989 — Page 4

CONFIDENTIAL

123651 MDHIAN 9386

CONFIDENTIAL

FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 320

OF 150223Z DECEMBER 89

AND TO IMMEDIATE LISBON

INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG

F18) HKCC31/26

YOUR TELNO 155 (NOT TO LISBON): MACAU JLG

1.

TOP COPY

HK B0:20/4

RECEIVED

K

1 1 JAN 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

на

REGISTRY

Action raken

IN YOUR TUR YOU MENTION LISBON'S MEETING WITH THE MFA ON 18 NOVEMBER. WE WILL INCLUDE THEM IN THE BRIEFING TELEGRAM ON JLG XIV YOU REQUEST.

2. AS NOTED IN MARTIN'S LETTER OF 24 NOVEMBER TO PAUL, I ARRANGED TO MEET MY PORTUGUESE OPPOSITE NUMBER, CATARINO, AND OFFER HIM LUNCH ON HIS WAY BACK THROUGH HONG KONG. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY RAMOS.

3.

CATARINO SAID THAT THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE MEETING HAD BEEN NOTABLY WARM ON THE CHINESE SIDE. RAMOS COMMENTED THAT IT HAD BEEN THE FRIENDLIEST HE HAD EVER SEEN THEM SINCE EARLY IN THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE JOINT DECLARATION. WHEREAS AT THE PREVIOUS JLG MEETING IN THE AFTERMATH OF TIANANMEN, THE CHINESE HAD BEEN TENSE AND STILL SLIGHTLY SUSPICIOUS THOUGH GRATEFUL FOR PORTUGUESE ATTENDANCE, AT THIS MEETING THEY HAD BEEN RELAXED AND VERY READY TO ACCEPT PORTUGUESE SUGGESTIONS ON LANGUAGE AND DRAFTING. THEY HAD NOT PERHAPS GIVEN AWAY ANY MAJOR ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE, BUT THEY HAD PLAINLY WANTED FURTHER PROGRESS. RAMOS NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT MATTERS IN THE LAND COMMISSION WERE STILL FAIRLY DIFFICULT.

4. CATARINO SAID THAT THE AGREEMENT REACHED ON MACAU PARTICIPATION IN THE GATT WAS PERHAPS ONE EXAMPLE WHERE THE NEW CHINESE MOOD HAD HAD AN IMPACT. HITHERTO, THE CHINESE HAD APPEARED TO BE WANTING TO DELAY MACAU INVOLVEMENT UNTIL THEIR OWN APPLICATION HAD BEEN PROCESSED. OF COURSE, THERE WAS NOW NO PROSPECT OF EARLY CHINESE ACCESSION, BUT THEIR ATTITUDE TO MACAU'S INVOLVEMENT HAD DEFINITELY CHANGED. THEY NOW SEEMED TO THINK IT MIGHT ASSIST CHINA'S OWN CASE AT SOME POINT. AGREEMENT ON MACAU'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE IMO WAS

ALSO A USEFUL BONUS.

5. CATARINO SAID THAT THERE HAD ALSO BEEN FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE

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CONFIDENTIAL