GRS 500
NFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2526
HOE 160/1
RECEIVED A
Confidential
INDLA
OF 060155Z AUGUST 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING,
PARIS
102
Q DIST ?
COPY
NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA
YOU WILL WISH TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN APPROACHED INDIRECTLY BY MO KWAN-NIN (MAO JUNNIAN), DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL, CULTURE AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, NCNA WITH A PROPOSAL THAT THE NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION OF CHINA MOUNT AN EXHIBITION IN HONG KONG IN THE NEAR FUTURE ABOUT THE PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY. THEY WOULD LIKE TO ASSOCIATE US WITH IT. WE IMAGINE THIS MAY BE AN INITIATIVE TAKEN AS A RESULT OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD HELP ALLAY PUBLIC FEARS. IF THIS IS SO WE WOULD NOT WANT TO BE DISCOURAGING BUT WOULD NOT WISH TO BE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH A CHINESE EXHIBITION IN HONG KONG. DIRECT COOPERATION IN THE EXHIBITION WOULD
BE INTERPRETED AS COLLABORATION.
2. WE SEE PROBLEMS MAINLY IN TWO AREAS
(A) TIMING
MO KWAN-MIN HAS SUGGESTED SEPTEMBER. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT LIKELY PUBLIC REACTION HERE TO THE SIGNING OF CONTRACTS IN THAT MONTH AND THE PROBABILITY THAT THE UMELCO REPOPT WILL BE AMBIVALENT ABOUT DAYA BAY WE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT SEPTEMBER IS NOT A GOOD MONTH. IN ANY CASE THERE ARE VENUE PROBLEMS. HE HAS NOW SUGGESTED AUGUST. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CHINESE ARE DETERMINED TO GO AHEAD WITH THIS
EXHIBITION.
(B) PUBLIC REACTION
IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY AND SOPHISTICATION OF ITS EXHIBITIONS HONG KONG IS PROBABLY LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF CHINA. A TATTY EXHIBITION WILL RECEIVE AN ADVERSE REACTION. MOREOVER, WHAT IS REQUIPED IS NOT SO MUCH AN EXPOSITION OF THE PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY BUT A CONVINCING PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION OF THE SAFETY OF DAYA BAY AND THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ITS OPERATION, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF
TRAINING.
3. IN THE LIGHT OF THE ABOVE WE ARE PEPLYING TO MO KWAN-NIN ALONG
THE FOLLOWING LINES :
(1) HKG WELCOME ANY MEASURES WHICH HELP REASSURE AND INFORM PEOPLE
OF HONG KONG:
Confidential
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