166/1
HKK RECEIVED in
1 SEP 1985
INDEX
CONFIDENTIAL
OCMIAN 8962
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 290100Z PEKIN
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
281600Z AUG
GRS 500
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 290100Z HONG KONG
TELNO 1834
OF 281600Z AUGUST 86
AND TO DESKBY 290100Z PEKING
INFO IMMEDIATE PARIS
MIPT: DAYA BAY
1.
(A)
(B)
(C)
COPY ST ?
DIST
503
58962
-
FOLLOWING IS LINE TO TAKE WITH MEI ZHAORONG:
RECALL THAT AT MEETING WITH ZHOU PING, WE INDICATED THAT
WE WELCOMED CHINESE WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER A SHORT
DEFERRAL OF CONTRACT SIGNATURE, IN THE INTERESTS OF
ALLOWING PRIOR PUBLICATION AND DEBATE ON UMELCO REPORTS.
WE ACCEPTED THAT DEFERRAL COULD NOT GO BEYOND 7 OCTOBER.
UMELCO REPORTS TO BE PUBLISHED ON 30 AUGUST: FOLLOWING
THIS THERE WILL BE FURTHER PRESSURE FOR LEGCO TO BE
RECALLED TO DEBATE THE MATTER URGENTLY. THIS WILL BE
DISCUSSED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AT AN IN-HOUSE MEETING ON
3 SEPTEMBER. WE BELIEVE THE CHANCES OF AVOIDING A
DAMAGING DEBATE, AND PERHAPS A HOSTILE MOTION, WOULD BE
MUCH INCREASED IF DEBATE TOOK PLACE AFTER THE PROSPECTIVE
VISIT BY THE UMELCO OVERSEAS MISSIONS TO PEKING TO DISCUSS THE REPORTS, IE IN THE LATTER HALF OF SEPTEMBER,
SO THAT MISSION MEMBERS WILL BE FULLY BRIEFED ON CHINESE
INTENTIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, VARIOUS PUBLIC STATEMENTS HAVE RECENTLY
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CONFIDENTIAL
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