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106207 MDHIAN 311 |
4.
YOU EXPLAINED THAT OUR PROBLEMS WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE HONG KONG AIRPORT WERE TO DO WITH MONEY AND CHINESE FEARS THAT THEY WOULD BE FACED WITH HEAVY BILLS AFTER 1997. PINHEIRO CONFIRMED THAT THE QUESTION OF FINANCE HAD NOT ARISEN IN RESPECT OF MACAU. IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION PINHEIRO SAID THAT HE HAD NO DEFINITE PLANS TO
VISIT PEKING BUT MIGHT GO LATER. YOU EXPLAINED THAT YOU WERE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION. PINHEIRO SUGGESTED THAT BEFORE VISITING CHINA YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN TO THE CHINESE THAT YOU WOULD ONLY DO SO ON CONDITION THAT CERTAIN AGREEMENTS WERE ACHIEVED. PINHEIRO HAD DONE
JUST THIS WITH QIAN QICHEN AND AS A RESULT PORTUGAL HAD SECURED A COMMITMENT THAT PORTUGUESE WOULD BE AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE AFTER 1999 (MY TELNO 107).
5. PINHEIRO SUGGESTED THAT IN GENERAL THE LUSO-CHINESE JLG WAS GOING REASONABLY WELL. THERE HAD BEEN SOME CHINESE 'ARM-TWISTING" ON THE LAND ISSUE, BUT THE CHINESE HAD USUALLY CONCEDED. THE PORTUGUESE HAD FOUND THAT EVERYTHING IMPORTANT HAD TO BE DEALT WITH
IN INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS.
PINHEIRO SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN STRUCK DURING QIAN QICHEN'S VISIT BY AN APPARENT HARDER CHINESE LINES ON MACAU. THEY HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT TAIWANESE OFFERS IN EUROPE ISSUING VISAS. THEY HAD ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WERE AGAINST ANY SALE OF ARMS TO TAIWAN (PINHEIRO WONDERED HOW THEY HAD GOT TO HEAR THAT PORTUGAL HAD BEEN APPROACHED ON THIS. HE ADDED THAT PORTUGAL HAD TURNED THE TAIWANESE DOWN).
7. FCO PLEASE PASS TO PRIVATE OFFICE.
ARBUTHNOTT
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
173
ΜΑΙΝ
164
.CHINA POLITICAL
LIMITED
FED
COMED
CRD
CONSULAR D
HD/EAFD/ODA
EAPD/ODA
SAD
SEAD
SOVIET D
UND
PS
PS/MRS CHALKER
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
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