SECRET
108
134732
MDHIAN 5507
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 01120OZ FCO TELNO 3711
OF 01104OZ OCTOBER 87
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
(104
HKC 166
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY - 5 OCT 1987
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
3.
PA
Action Taken
PERSONAL FOR/PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
YOUR TELNO 2596: DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION
·
TOP COPY
O DIST ?
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GNPJVC'S RESPONSE TO SIR J CATER'S REQUEST THAT A PRESS STATEMENT BE ISSUED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WAS THAT A
DECISION SHOULD BE DELAYED UNTIL A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE OF THE GNPJVC ON 7 OCTOBER WHEN REMEDIAL MEASURES WILL
BE CONSIDERED. AS IT IS FAR FROM CERTAIN THAT A DECISION CAN BE REACHED BY THEN ON THE TECHNICAL SOLUTION, THE CHAIRMAN OF HKNIC, MR W. STONES HAS NOW SENT A FURTHER STRONGLY-WORDED MESSAGE TO
THE CHAIRMAN OF GNP JVC REITERATING HKNIC'S VIEW THAT A PRESS
STATEMENT SHOULD BE ISSUED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND OFFERING TO MEET THE CHAIRMAN IN GUANGZHOU TO DISCUSS THE MATTER FURTHER.
HE HAS NOW BEEN TOLD (NOT UNEXPECTEDLY) THAT THE CHAIRMAN WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 3 OCTOBER. SIR J. CATER BELIEVES THAT THE
CHAIRMAN IS SEEKING INSTRUCTIONS FROM A HIGHER LEVEL. THIS SEEM
PLAUSIBLE.
2. WITH A COMBINATION OF THE NATIONAL DAY HOLIDAY AND THE WISH TO
DELAY DIFFICULT DECISIONS I SEE LITTLE PROSPECT OF A STATEMENT BEFORE 7 OCTOBER. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT AT THIS MEETING A CLEAR
DECISION IS MADE. WITHOUT FURTHER PRESSURE TO ACT WE CANNOT COUNT ON THIS. CONSEQUENTLY, IF THE CHAIRMAN OF GNPJVC DOES NOT RESPOND POSITIVELY TOMORROW (AND THAT NOW SEEMS UNLIKELY) I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD WITH OUR APPROACH TO THE CHINESE ON SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER. THIS WOULD GIVE TIME FOR PEKING TO INFLUENCE THE DECISION
MADE BY THE GNPJVC ON 7 OCTOBER.
·
3. WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING HOW TO HANDLE THE ISSUE BOTH WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AND IN LIAISON WITH HKNIC. AS SOON AS WE KNOW WHEN THE STATEMENT IS TO BE ISSUED, AND ASSUMING THAT HKNIC IS NOT ROBBED OF THE INITIATIVE BY A LEAK, SIR J CATER WILL BRIEF MR WONG PO-YAN, CONVENOR OF THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP ON THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT. HE WILL ALSO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE, WITH SUPPORT FROM TECHNICALLY QUALIFIED STAFF, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE STATEMENT IS
MADE BY THE CHINESE.
PAGE
SECRET
1