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MONTH OR TWO.
HOWEVER BEFORE DOING SO, WE WOULD WISH THE FRENCH
GOVERNMENT TO BE AWARE OF THEM, FOR TWO REASONS;
I)
II)
THE PROPOSALS ARE LIKELY TO INVOLVE HMG
ATTENDANCE AT SOME OF THE REGULAR MONITORING
MEETINGS. WHILST SO FAR AS WE KNOW THE
FRENCH HAVE NOT BEEN PRESSED TO MAKE SIMILAR
ARRANGEMENTS, THIS COULD LEAD TO SUCH PRESSURE.
EDF HAVE A CENTRAL ROLE IN DRAWING UP AND
IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT MONITORING
ARRANGEMENTS, AND WE WOULD BE SEEKING AS
FAR AS POSSIBLE TO FIT OUR PROPOSALS TO
EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS. THERE COULD THEREFORE
BE MERIT IN DISCUSSING OUR PROPOSALS WITH
EDF BEFORE SUBMITTING THEM TO THE CHINESE.
BUT WE WOULD FIRST HAVE TO BE CERTAIN THAT
EDF WOULD NOT REPORT BACK TO THE JVC BEFORE
OURSELVES HAD MADE AN APPROACH.
OUR PROPOSAL WOULD THEREFORE BE TO MEET THE FRENCH, WITH
EDF SHOULD THEY THINK IT APPROPRIATE, TO EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL
WHAT ARRANGEMENTS ARE PROPOSED ON THE UK SIDE.
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WE WOULD ALSO WISH TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER IN
MORE DETAIL THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR BALANCE OF PLANT PROCUREMENT.
ALTY RAISED THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH ALTUZARA BUT HAS HAD
NO RESPONSE. WE HAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE FRENCH WOULD PREFER
TO AVOID FURTHER DISCUSSION. A NUMBER OF UK COMPANIES (EG NEI)
ARE EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT THERE WILL BE LITTLE EVENTUAL WORK
FOR THE UK. WHILST WE RECOGNISE THE LIMITS OF PRACTICAL PRESSURE
ON THE FRENCH, IT REMAINS POLITICALLY IMPORTANT TO DO WHAT WE
CAN TO ENSURE FAIR EVALUATION OF UK BIDS. AS A START IT WOULD
BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THE SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF THE BOP AND THE
TIMESCALE FOR BIDS.
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