GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMED PATE FCO
TELNO 2314
OF 17043OZ JULY 86
HICK 100/1
Confidential
FUT COPY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, BTC HONG KONG, PARIS, UKMES VIENNA
268 269 270
PEKING TELNOS 1244-1246: NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA.
361
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR TURS, AND AGREE THAT IT IS ENCOURANGING THAT L ACCEPTED THE NEED FOR A CAMPAIGN OF REASSURANCE. HOWEVER, HIS RESPONSE STILL CAUSES US SOME CONCERN:
(B) LI APPEARED TO ENVISAGE A GREATER ROLE (OR AT LEAST AS GREATE) FOR HMG, RATHER THAN THE CHINESE THEMSELVES TAKING EARLY AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES:
() L'S SUGGESTION (PARA 5 OF FIRST TUR) THAT BRITAIN AND CHINA SHOULD JOINTLY GO PUBLIC ''TO EXPRESS THEIR FIRM POSHTION WITH REGARD TO THIS ISSUE' IS NOT (NOT) NECESSARILY THE SAME AS GOING PUBLIC ABOUT CHINA'S PLANS FOR SAFETY. EVEN IF THE CHINESE SAFETY PLANS ARE PUBLICISED, L'S COMMENTS APPEAR TO SUGGEST THAT THEY WOULD FOCUS MORE ON THE HARDWARE RATHER THAN THE (HUMAN) SOFTWARE, E.G. MAINTENANCE, MONITORING, THE NUCLEAR SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. THESE ARE THE ASPECTS WHICH WORRY THE HONG KONG PUBLIC MOST.
2. PARA 3 OF THE THIRD TUR: WE HAVE NOT (NOT) YET BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANY REFERENCES TO THE STORY TO WHICH UI REFERRED, BUT ARE
CHECKING FURTHER.
3. PARA 4 OF THIRD TUR: WE HAVE NOT (NOT) AMENDED THE FINANCIPAL SECRETARY'S SPEAKING NOTE FOR THE LEGCO DEBATE.
AKERS-JONES
GUANGDONG
LIMITED
HKD
FED
NED
TRED
PUSD(MR CROWLEY) WED
[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING STREET]
PS.
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR DAUNT
MR WILSON MR SLATER
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
GUANGDONG NUCLEAR
Confidential