GRS 550
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO #MMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2547
OF 070655Z AUGUST 86
ch
HACK 166/
ECEIVED IN
7 AUG 1986
INDEX
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1404
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AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, PARIS, UKMIS VIENNA
HINFO #MMEDIATE BTCHONG KONG
(394
YOUR TELNO 1670 : CHINA: NUCELAR SAFETY
OUR COMMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS :
A. THMING OF CONTRACT SIGNATURE
2. WE AGREE THE STRATEGY AS SET OUT HN 6(A)-(C). WITH REGARD
TO THE POLITICAL STEPS HERE WHICH NEED TO BE TAKEN BEFORE SIGNING
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE LEGCO REPORT WILL BE PRODUCED ABOUT FOUR
WEEKS AFTER THE GROUPS HAVE RETURNED .E. SOME TIME WITHIN THE
WEEK BEGINNING 15 SEPTEMBER. LEGCO WILL NOT BE N SESSION THEN
AND WE DO NOT THEREFORE ENVISAGE A DEBATE. HOWEVER HIT WILL BE VERY
DESHARABLE FOR THERE TO BE A MINIMUM PERIOD BEFORE SIGNING AND AFTER PUBLICATION OF, SAY, TWO WEEKS DURMING WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN ABSORB THE REPORT. THUS WE WOULD NOT WISH TO SEE SIGNING BEFORE 1
OCTOBER OR THEREABOUTS.
B. INVITATION TO CHINESE NUCLEAR EXPERTS
3. WE WELCOME THIS PROPOSAL WHICH AS YOU WILL RECALL WAS DISCUSSED
DURING YAXLEY'S VISIT AS AN ALTERNAMITVE TO THE EARLIER PROPOSAL OF
A UKAEA VIKSHIT TO PEKENG. TIMING OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE
INVITATION #'S AMPORTANT SO THAT WE CAN GAIN MAXIMUM HMPACT HERE.
THE PERIOD AROUND THE TIME OF CONTRACT SIGNING SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS
SHOULD THE FEW DAYS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LEGCO REPORTS PUBLISHED
THMING AND THE MECHANICS OF MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT HN HONG KONG
CAN BE CONSIDERED FURTHER AFTER THE CHINESE HAVE REACTED TO THE
INVITATⱭHON.
C. THE LONGER TERM
4. WE AGREE THE #DEAS IN PARAGRAPH 12(A)-(C). IN ADDITION AND
FOLLOWING YAXLEY'S DISCUSSIONS WITH MORPHET (DEN) AND HN
PARTICULAR GORDON (NED/FCO) WE FEEL THAT WE SHOULD OVER TIME
ATTEMPT TO SEEK A GREATER ROLE FOR MAEA ON CHINESE NUCLEAR MATTERS.
OUR SUGGESTÍONS «N THÁIS RESPECT FOLLOW.
D. OUR RESPONSE TO THE CHINESE.
5. OUR DETAILED OBSERVATIONS ON THE VARIOUS STATEMENTS MADE
REGARDING CHINESE PROPOSALS AND INTENTIONS AS REPORTED IN PEKONG'S
TELNOS 1244, 1252, 1307 AND 1329 ARE SET OUT IN MIFT (NOT TO ALL). AS REGARDS THE TWO OF THESE WHICH YOU HAVE MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH
15 OF TUR OUR VIEWS ARE :
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