TNAG-2496-FCO40-3632-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macao-(Macau)-1992 — Page 117

31 March

ca Mr Quayle

Mr Gifford 3 parass, 8-- Mr Bunten HKD) paras 2-6 paru2-6

Ms

Hall

FED

Mr Cook, SEAD Mas Dunsfom

ой

Office of the

NO

1992 Mr Stradling C5/40.

Downs for Cabinet office 2 paras United Kingdom

Mr D Meiklejohn M. Brock Legal (Counseller)

ECD (E)

FCO

by fax

Mr Walwyn UND)

Robert

comments

Mr. Roling ND paras 4-5 UND Grateful for any by 4pm 6/4 of poss.

Permanent Representative

To the European Community

rond-point Robert Schuman 6

1010 Krussola

Telephone: (02) 287 B2 )1 Facsimile: (02) 287 83 98

DID: (02)287

HKC 020/3

Dear Dominic

Meikkim ECO(E)

×3647

1/4

ASIA WORKING GROUP? 31 MARCH

Summary

1.

ст

A constructive exchange of views

of views on the EC/Macao draft negotiating mandate. Three of our four suggestions were agreed, with a helpful Commission proposal to overcome our remaining difficulty. There was a lengthy debate on whether human rights provisions in the text should follow the Latin American or East European model. Follow up to the Pakistan Joint Commission was postponed to next week. Under other business, the Commission noted our concerns on the ASEAN timetable, backed by the message from EC Head of Mission in Singapore which we circulated to the Group, and undertook to convey them to the responsible division. Next meeting 7 April.

Detail

EC/Macao Draft Negotiating Mandate

2.

The Commission (Borrell) introduced the final draft of their negotiating mandate, which was identical to the previously circulated text. France asked if Macao would continue to have an international identity separate from PRC after 1999. They were keen to know what would happen to the Co-operation Agreement after that date. France were also unclear if PRC had any say at present in the conclusion of international agreements involving Macao since, if so, they foresaw difficulty with the clause rights. Borrell confirmed that, after 1999, Macao would retain a legal personality independent of China. Equally, the PRC had no say at present in Macao's external relations.

3.

human

I made the points in your letter of 30 March. Borrell agreed to add "in Macao" in two places and replace "centre on" with "include". However he was reluctant to accept our proposal on drugs. The Commission did not believe that Macao was a major drug producer. The main problem areas were China and Burma. Borrell argued strongly that

that transportation of drugs through, and distribution of drugs in, Macao were the main difficulties.

At a Community level, this could be addressed in terms of customs co-

1