GRS 300
SECRET
Secret
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 2685
HKK 166/1
OF 1909O7Z AUGUST 86
MINFO ROUTINE PEKING
460
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
NUCLEAR SAFETY.
1. * GAVE BREAKFAST TO LI CHUWEN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NCNA, TODAY (19 AUGUST). TOGETHER WITH HO SA CHU WHO HAD INDICATED THAT LA HAD SOMETHING TO SAY TO ME, AND DPA.
2. L EXPRESSED APPROVAL OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S LOW-KEY HANDLING OF THE DAYA BAY AFFAIR. HE THOUGHT THE LEGCO VISITS HAD BEEN USEFUL. HE MENTIONED THE EXHIBITION THAT THE CHINESE PLANNED TO HOLD MIN HONG KONG WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERS AND THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND ASKED FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. SAID THAT WE COULD PERHAPS OFFER SOME DISCREET PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE, BUT THAT OVERT GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE COULD BE DAMAGING AND WOULD INCREASE THE RISK THAT THE EXHIBITION MIGHT ITSELF BECOME A POLITICAL PROBLEM. L
AGREED.
3. LI SAID THAT CHINA HAD NO QUARREL WITH SOME OF THE ANTI-NUCLEAR LOBBYISTS IN HONG KONG, FOR EXAMPLE FUNG CHI-WOOD, WHOSE VIEWS AS A CHRISTIAN AND AN ENVIRONMENTALIST COULD BE RESPECTED. BUT SOME OF THOSE INVOLVED, FOR EXAMPLE LAU CHIN-SEK, WERE SEEKING TO POLITICHSE THE ISSUE AND TO MAKE CONTACT WITH ELEMENTS IN TAIWAN
AND WITH
ANT-I-NUCLEAR ACTIVISTS *N THE PHILIPPINES. HONG KONG WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH AN ANTI-NUCLEAR LOBBY, AS OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD DID, BUT LAU'S ACTIVITY COULD HAVE A DESTABILISING EFFECT ON HONG KONG.
4. LP DID NOT (NOT) URGE US TO CLAMP DOWN HARD ON LAU AND HIS SORT. HE SEEMED ONLY TO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE AWARE OF THESE ACTIVITIES.
15.
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED
IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER
SECTION 3 (4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958
Secret