CONFIDENTIAL
1884
OR 4
HKK 16
CW Roberts dsq
INDCA
DOT
Dear Chrystpler,
HOTA MONG POWER ALBION PROJECT
BRITI I DASSY PELING
18 August 177
16.4/1.0.5 Euler
1 SEP 1988
REGISTR Action Takes
For DoiL DOT
18 forrow.
1.
fe were most interested to receive a cony of Bryan Cartledre's letter of 26 July recording the Trime Minister's convertion with Sir Lawrence kadoorie. The close personel involvement of the Prime inister is encouraging.
L*
Two points in particular caught our ere.
Dru Belo
2. First, near the end of paragraph 4 of the letter. it is recorded that the rime ininter said that Esi. "had ruled out the possibility of expo.th 700,000 tons of coel in 1982, if this or irement wore rlaced u on his Ainistry by the lamming Commission". This is the precise opposite of the report in our CRUELL 64 of 21 July (para rath 3): "(Isu) di^ not seem to think that 700,000 tons in 1982 would be an impossible target if is requirement was placed upon the Ministry by the lanning Commission". I imagine that this was a typing error, in which case No 10 may wish to amend the record accordingly. Alternatively, if it is possible that the frine linister actually spoke as recorded, it may be worth asking Derek March in Hong Kong to speak to Sir Lawrence Radoorie to put the record straight.
3.
In paragraph 6, the Prime Minister said that the Ambassador would stress HMC's long term interest in the programme in his exchances with the Chinese in Feking. We shall take any oppor- tunities that present themselves to make this point at the Ministries of Foreign Trade and of the Coal Industry. Such an opportunity occurred on 17 august when I called at the Ministry of foreign rade to transmit Fr Dell's invitation to Li Ch'lang. I referred to the Ambassador's earlier meetings and emphasised the Covernment's continuing interest in long-term cooperation over the project. Sun Suo-chang confirmed that the matters unier study. When a decision was reached, he would let us know so that we could discuss it further.
erat-
4. I am copying this letter to John Stewart in Hong Tone ment, 300, but not to others, since I do not mox what distribution wad given to the letter from No 1).
Yours ever,
cc: