TNAG-2199-FCO40-3154-Portuguese-citizenship-as-applied-to-residents-of-Macau-comp-1990 — Page 14

CONFIDENTIAL

FM BTC HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 10083OZ FCO

TELNO 149

OF 09103OZ MAY 90

AND TO IMMEDIATE LISBON

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

INFO ROUTINE

HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

©

075750

MDHIAN 9797

ино 340/4

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

14 JUN 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

HONG KONG FOR POLITICAL ADVISER

LISBOW

FEO TELNO 260 : MACAU

1. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY IN ESTABLISHING HOW MANY MACAU CITIZENS WOULD QUALIFY FOR PORTUGUESE PASSPORTS. THERE IS NO LACK OF AUTHORITATIVE SOUNDING ANSWERS. THE TROUBLE IS THAT THEY RARELY MATCH. MY LETTER TO PAUL OF 13 JULY 1989 QUOTED AROUND 90,000. THE GOVERNOR OF MACAU HAS CONFIRMED THAT FIGURE MORE RECENTLY WHEN I HAVE CALLED ON HIM.

2. IN AN EFFORT TO OBTAIN FURTHER CLARIFICATION AND THE LATEST POSITION GRAHAM HAS NOW SPOKEN TO PAULO REIS, HEAD OF MACAU GOVERNMENT INFORMATION DEPARTMENT, WHO ANSWERED QUERIES IN TUR AS FOLLOWS:

3. PORTUGUESE CITIZENS IN MACAU AUTOMATICALLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN BOTH PARLIAMENTARY AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN PORTUGAL. THEY NEED ONLY REGISTER WITH THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES THAT THEY INTEND TO DO SO, IN THE SAME WAY THAT A PORTUGUESE CITIZEN MOVING FROM LISBON TO OPORTO MUST RE-REGISTER.

4. UNTIL 1974 ALL THOSE BORN IN MACAU WERE AUTOMATICALLY ENTITLED TO PORTUGUESE CITIZENSHIP. AFTER THE DELUGE IN AFRICA THE PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY LAW WAS ALTERED (CIRCA 1976) AND CURRENT CONDITIONS FOR PORTUGUESE CITIZENSHIP RELEVANT TO MACAU ARE :

(I) 6 YEARS RESIDENCY IN PORTUGAL OR A TERRITORY ADMINISTERED BY PORTUGAL

(II) PROOF OF WRITTEN AND SPOKEN PORTUGUESE

(III) NO CRIMINAL RECORD

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