"SUMMARY:MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC FIGUEIREDO SAID
AZORES BASE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD NOT BEGIN BEFORE U.S. ELECTIONS.
1. GOP OFFICIALS ON AZORES
BASE NEGOTIATIONS: UPON HIS RETURN FROM THE UNITED NATIONS OCT 9, FONMIN
MEDEIROS FERREIRA TOLD THE PRESS THAT SECRETARY KISSINGER AND HE HAD DISCUSSED
THEIR MUTUAL INTERESTS IN EARLY RENEGOTIATION OF THE AZORES BASE AGREEMENT.
MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC TO THE AZORES, GEN GALVAO DE FIGUEIREDO, IN LISBON FOR
MEETINGS WITH PRESIDENT EANES AND PRIME MINISTER SOARES, SET THE RECORD
STRAIGHT OCT 11 ON HIS EARLIER REPORTED REMARKS PREDICTING EARLY SIGNATURE OF A
NEW BASE AGREEMENT (REF A). FIGUEIREDO TOLD THE PRESS OCT 11 THAT NEGOTIATIONS
WILL BE DELAYED; QTE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WILL BE PREPARED TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT
BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.
2. PS-PSD DISPUTE OVER
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT: THE SOCIALISTS AND SOCIAL DEMOCRATS HAVE ALSO TRADED
CHARGES REGARDING THE AZORES REGIONAL GOVERNMENT IN RECENT DAYS. -- PS ACCUSES:
THE PS IN PONTA DELGADA ACCUSED PSD REGIONAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS OF PROVOKING A
DISPUTE BETWEEN THE REGIONAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS TO ESTABLISH AND ALIBI FOR
PSD FAILURE TO GOVERN EFFECTIVELY. -- REGIONALS REPLY: THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
RESPONDED THAT IT SOUGHT TO ESTABLISH A PEACEFUL WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND CHALLENGED THOSE WHO DISAGREED TO CHECK WITH MINISTER
FIGUEIREDO. -- SA CARNEIRO RIPOSTES: PSD LEADER SA CARNEIRO, FOLLOWING AN OCT
11 MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER SOARES, TOLD THE PRESS THAT THE PS IS MOUNTING A
SYSTEMATIC ATTACK ON THE REGIONAL GOVERMENT. HE CITED THE PS PONTA DELGADA
COMMUNIQUE AND JAIME GAMA'S RECENT PRESS INTERVIEW (REF C) AS EVIDENCE. --
GALVAO DE FIGUEIREDO CALMS WATERS: MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC FIGUEIREDO LABELLED
THE PS-PSD DISPUTE "PARTISAN QUARRELS WHICH DO NOT EFFECT THE NORMAL LIFE
OF THE AZORES." HE SIAD SUCH BICKERING COULD BE EXPECTED TO INCREASE AS
THE CAMPAIGN FOR DEC 12 LOCAL ELECTIONS INTENSIFIED. FOLLOWING HIS OCT 11
MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER SOARES, FIGUEIREDO MOVED TO REMOVE AN IRRITANT IN
CENTRAL-REGIONAL GOVERNMENT RELATONS BY ANNOUNCING THAT CABINETS FOR THE AZORES
MADEIRA WOULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE. AZORES
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT PRESIDENT MOTA AMARAL HAD ATTACKED THE LISBON-BASED CABINET
AS AN EFFORT TO ESTABLISH AND ALTERNATE GOVERNMENT (REF B).
3. NEGOTIATIONS ON FRENCH
FACILITY: ON OCT 11, FRENCH AND PORTUGUESE DELEGATONS MET IN PONTA DELGADA TO
NEGOTIATE A RENEWAL OF THE AGREEMENT BY WHICH THE FRENCH ARMED FORCES USE A
TELEMETRY STATION ON FLORES ISLAND. VITOR MACEDO, REGIONAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY
FOR PUBLIC WORKS, REPRESENTED THE AZOREAN GOVERNMENT.
CARLUCCI
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE"
