TNAG-2496-FCO40-3632-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macao-(Macau)-1992 — Page 5

CONFIDENTIAL

151645

MDLIAN 308

AGREED TO IT. THEY HAD ALSO EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT FINANCING. EVEN THOUGH THIS WOULD BE A MATTER FOR THE PRIVATE COMPANY OPERATING THE AIRPORT, THE QUESTION OF GUARANTEES WOULD NEED TO BE DISCUSSED, A DECISION ON THE SUCCESSFUL TENDER FOR THE

CONSTRUCTION OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL WAS LIKELY TO BE MADE BY THE

END OF JULY. THE AIRPORT WAS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN MID-1995.

5. I ASKED IF MACAU HAD STARTED TO TALK TO THE CHINESE ABOUT

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS. THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT AT THE

LAST JLG MEETING IT HAD BEEN AGREED THAT THIS SUBJECT WOULD BE

DISCUSSED. MACAU WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DISCUSS THESE MATTER WITH

HONG KONG. I WELCOMED THIS. OUR CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT WOULD

BE THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO TALK TO. ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE MADE

THROUGH THE PA. IT WOULD ALSO BE USEFUL IF WE COULD KEEP IN TOUCH, THROUGH THE PA, ON HOW DISCUSSION BETWEEN MACAU AND THE CHINESE ON LAND GRANTS WENT. THERE MIGHT BE A USEFUL CROSS

BEARING ON OUR OWN DISCUSSIONS.

6.

THE GOVERNOR OF MACAU EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE VARIOUS

CONTACTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE PRC. I EXPLAINED THAT THESE EXISTED ON DIFFERENT LEVELS. HIGH POLITICAL CONTACTS TOOK PLACE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND PEKING, BOTH THROUGH VISITS BY ME OR THROUGH THE AMBASSADOR IN PEKING. WE ALSO HAD DAY-TO-DAY CONTACT

ON PRACTICAL CROSS-BORDER ISSUES WITH THE LOCAL CHINESE AUTHORITIES. IN BETWEEN THESE TWO EXTREMES, WE WERE FEELING OUR WAY FORWARD ON RELATIONS WITH GUANGDONG. THE GOVERNOR OF GUANGDONG HAD RECENTLY VISITED HONG KONG. I FELT THAT WE NEEDED TO BE A LITTLE CAREFUL, IN DEVELOPING GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS WITH GUANGDONG, NOT TO TRIGGER SUSPICIONS IN PEKING OF ALL THE CANTONESE GANGING TOGETHER. SO WE DELIBERATELY LEFT MANY ISSUES TO THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

7.

I SAID I WAS SURE THAT MY SUCCESSOR WOULD WISH TO MAINTAIN

PERSONAL CONTACTS WITH THE GOVERNOR OF MACAU. IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR HIM TO MAKE A SHORT VISIT TO MACAU WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF HIS ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG. GENERAL ROCHA VIEIRA IS A THOUGHTFUL AND INTELLIGENT MAN, WHO IS VERY KEEN THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TERRITORIES SHOULD BE CLOSE.

WILSON

YYYY