RESTRICTED
037000 MDLIAN 3865
RESTRICTED
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 202
OF 040424Z JULY 91
la
HKCOZO/1
Масат
10 JUL 1991
L
fM1577
TOP COPY Q DIST?
AND TO PRIORITY LISBON, PEKING, HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
FROM BTC AS CONSULATE GENERAL MACAU
FUTURE PORTUGUESE CONSULATE GENERAL IN MACAU
1. PORTUGUESE CONSUL GENERAL ALBUQUERQUE TOLD GRAHAM RECENTLY THAT PORTUGAL HAD FORMALLY PROPOSED THAT THE PRAYA GRANDE PALACE (CURRENTLY THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR,SOME OF HIS CABINET AND THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY) WOULD BECOME THE PORTUGUESE CONSULATE GENERAL AFTER 1999. THE CHINESE SAID AS A PRELIMINARY RESPONSE THAT THEY THOUGHT THE PALACE WOULD BE TOO HEAVY A SYMBOL OF COLONIALISM, BUT HAD NOT YET GIVEN A FORMAL REPLY.
2. ALBUQUERQUE SAID THE PORTUGUESE DID NOT EXPECT THE CHINESE TO AGREE TO THE PALACE. IF THEY OBJECTED THE PORTUGUESE WOULD PROBABLY THEN PROPOSE THE ST FRANCIS CONVENT (CURRENTLY THE ARMED FORCES HEADQUARTERS) SITE. THIS WOULD BE LARGE ENOUGH FOR BOTH AN OFFICE AND A RESIDENCE. THERE WERE NOT MANY SUCH SITES SUITABLE AND THE PORTUGUESE DID NOT EXPECT THE CHINESE TO DISPUTE THEIR SECOND CHOICE. BUT THE PORTUGUESE WERE NOT YET ABSOLUTELY DECIDED ON THE ST FRANCIS SITE. AN ALTERNATIVE, FOR OFFICE ONLY, WAS THE BANCO ULTRAMARINO HEAD OFFICE CALMOST OPPOSITE THE LEAL SENADO).
3. ALBUQUERQUE EXPLAINED THE PRAYA GRANDE PALACE PROPOSAL HAD BEEN MADE IN THE MARGINS OF THE LAST JLG MEETING AND HAD NOT BEEN TABLED FOR THE FORMAL AGENDA BECAUSE MACAU HAD NO GOVERNOR AT THAT TIME. GENERAL VIEIRA'S VIEWS WOULD NOW BE SOUGHT AND A DECISION MADE WHETHER OR NOT TO PUT THE SITE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT JLG IN PEKING IN SEPTEMBER.
SMITH-LAITTAN
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