GRS 800
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 14120OZ FCO
TELNO 1244
OF 14111OZ JULY 86
CONFIDENTIAL
MICK 100/+
RECEIVED IN REVER
18 JUL 1986
OFFICEM
>
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG PARTS, UKDEL VIENNA
INBFX
268
(1)
NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA
TOP
COPY
1. WHILE IN SHANGHAI WITH THE STATE VISIT RECCE PARTY I RECEIVED MESSAGE THAT VICE PREMIER LI PENG WISHED TO SEE ME (AND ONLY ME) ON AFTERNOON OF 14 JULY. AFTER CONSULTING FELLOWES, I RETURNED TO PEKING ON 13 JULY (BUT WILL MEET THE RECCE PARTY AGAIN IN CANTON ON
15 JULLY).
2. I CALLED ON LI PENG AT 1800 ON 14 JULY (BUT THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR, WHO WAS GIVING HIS NATIONAL DAY PARTY, WILL MEET LI ON 15 JULY). HE SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT I HAD ASKED TO CALL ON HIM AND INVITED ME TO SPEAK. I REPLIED THAT I HAD A JOINT MESSAGE TO DELIVER FROM THE BRITISH AND FRENCH GOVERNMENTS AND THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR WOULD BE SPEAKING IN SIMILAR TERMS ON 15 JULY. I THEN READ OUT THE MESSAGE IN MIFT, AND
SUBSEQUENTLY LEFT A COPY.
3. LI PENG LISTENED CAREFULLY AND TOOK FULL NOTES. HE THEN MADE A NUMBER OF POINTS. FIRST HE EXPRESSED THANKS FOR THE CONCERN OF THE BRITISH AND FRENCH GOVERNMENTS OVER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAYA BAY PLAN. SECONDLY HE SAID THAT THE PROPOSALS IN THE MESSAGE WERE VERY IMPORTANT AND THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NEED TO GIVE THEM FULL CONSIDERATION BEFORE REPLYING. THIRDLY HE WISHED TO EMPHASISE THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION OVER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT HAD NOT CHANGED AND WOULD NOT CHANGE. THE REASON HE FELT OBLIGED TO SAY THIS WAS THAT SOME PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG HAD RECENTLY VISITED PEKING AND WERE REPORTED TO HAVE MET A CHINESE LEADER WHO HAD TOLD THEM THAT CHINA MIGHT RECONSIDER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT. LI PENG COULD TELL ME AUTHORITATIVELY THAT SUCH A REMARK HAD NOT BEEN MADE BY EITHER A PARTY OR STATE LEADER. NO CHINESE LEADER HAD MADE SUCH A REMARK.
4. FOURTHLY HE AGREED THAT IN ORDER TO ASSIST CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG PUBLICITY WORK WAS NECESSARY AND THE NECESSARY MATERIALS SHOULD ALSO BE USED TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE AND TO GIVE THEM THE SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND. HE ALSO APPROVED OF THE PROPOSAL TO SEND STUDY GROUPS TO FRANCE. THIS WAS VERY REASONABLE BECAUSE DAYA BAY WOULD BE USING FRENCH TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT: IN ADDITION THERE WERE QUITE A FEW NUCLEAR PLANTS IN FRANCE. MANY HAD BEEN OPERATING FOR SOME TIME AND FRENCH ENGINEERS WERE VERY EXPERIENCED. DURING HU YAOBANG'S VISIT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, LI PENG HAD SAID DURING THE TALKS BETWEEN HU AND THE PRIME MINISTER THAT CLP HAD PROBLEMS AND NEEDED HELP TO OVERCOME THEM. UNFORTUNATELY WHAT HE HAD SAID HAD SUBSEQUENTLY COME
TRUE.
CONFIDENTIAL
15.