TNAG-2290-FCO40-3296-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1991 — Page 188

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

c?

BTC

TO PRIORITY LISBON

TELNO 6

OF 191007Z MARCH 91

AND TO PRIORITY FCO, DTI

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG

RESTRICTED

HKCOZOL

25 MAR 1991 {^

Macau.

CS

24

177635 MDLIAN 6980

DTI FOR PEP1

:-(22

OUR 005 OF 13 MARCH 1991

MACAU AIRPORT TALKS

1. MACAU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMPANY (MIAC) CHAIRMAN, CARLOS FERREIRA HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE TALKS BETWEEN MACAU GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN PEKING 13 - 15 MARCH HAVE RESOLVED THE ISSUE OF NOISE POLLUTION OVER ZHUHAI, AT THE COST OF SOME TECHNICAL CONCESSIONS.

2. THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (SCMP) REPORTED 18 MARCH THAT MACAU AIRPORT'S CONSTRUCTION COSTS WOULD RISE MORE THAN 60 PERCENT AS A RESULT OF RELOCATION OF THE TERMINAL AREA FROM THESE TALKS. WE ARE ALMOST SURE THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE. MIAC BRITISH AIRPORT SERVICES STAFF HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THERE WILL BE NO RELOCATION OF THE TERMINAL AREA AND THAT THE ONLY TECHNICAL CONCESSION MADE BY THE MACAU GOVERNMENT OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE IS THE RESTRICTION ON LANDINGS FROM THE NORTH, OR ZHUHAI, END OF THE RUNWAY. THIS HAD BEEN PREDICTED. IT WILL REQUIRE A BEACON FOR LANDING GUIDANCE, BUT NO GREAT ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. A POSSIBLE INTERPRETATION OF THE SCMP ARTICLE IS THAT THIS IS AN INGENIOUS PIECE OF MACAU PROPAGANDA DESIGNED TO EXPLAIN AWAY THE INCREASED COST OF THE AIRPORT. (IT HAS INCREASED BY HK DOLLARS 2 BILLION SINCE THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE IN 1988.)

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3. THE SCMP IS NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE ON THIS ISSUE · ON 16 MARCH IT SHOWED A PHOTOGRAPH OF MACAU'S NEWINCINERATOR PLANT WITH THE CAPTION THAT BUILDING ON THE NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL WAS PROCEEDING APACE.

·

!

4 WE CAN SHORTLY EXPECT THE RUNWAY AND PILING CONTRACTS TO BE SIGNED AND AWAIT DEVELOPMENTS ON FINANCE, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AND TRAFFIC RIGHTS.