SECRET
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 30O9OOZ FCO
TELNO 1667
OF 300812Z SEPTEMBER 1987
AND TO DESKBY
SECRET
106
131420
HKC 166/3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
- 1 OCT 1987
MDHIAN 5283
TOP Q DIST ?
COPY
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Teken
30O9OOZ HONG KONG
104
FOR HUM, HKD: HONG KONG PERSON FOR GOVERNOR.
YOUR TELNO.2596 TO HONG KONG AND HONG KONG TELNO 3676 TO FCO:
DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION.
1. WHILE WE UNDERSTAND AND AGREE WITH THE DESIRE TO GET THE JOINT VENTURE COMPANY TO COME CLEAR, THERE IS OF COURSE ALSO A COMMERCIAL ANGLE.
2.
THE CONVENTIONAL ISLAND FOR DAYA BAY WAS A HARD WON PROJECT.
THERE ARE MANY WHO BELIEVE THE PRICE PAID BY HMG TO WIN THE PROJECT
WAS TOO HIGH. THESE CRITICS WILL NOT BE SLOW TO POINT TO THIS
PROBLEM AS EVIDENCE THAT THE PROJECT WAS AND REMAINS ILL-CONCEIVED.
THIS COULD HAVE SERIOUS IMPLICATION FOR THE BRITISH POWER INDUSTRY'S
REPUTATION (AND PERHAPS GEC'S IN PARTICULAR) IN CHINA AND COULD
AFFECT NEGOTIATIONS ON YUEYANG. I THEREFORE THINK IT ESSENTIAL THAT
THE DTI SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO THE PICTURE.
3. ALL THAT SAID, WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR PROMPTNESS AND OPENNESS IN PUBLIC HANDLING OF THE PROBLEM. IF SO INSTRUCTED (PARA. 5 OF
HONG KONG TUR), COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR WILL SEEK A MEETING WITH LIU XUEHONG, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MINISTRY OF NUCLEAR INDUSTRY'S FAB WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NUCLEAR SAFETY MATTERS RELATING TO DAYA BAY.
HOWEVER, OFFICES WILL ALSO BE CLOSED HERE ON 3 OCTOBER. ACTIOIN WOULD THEREFORE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SUNDAY, 4 OCTOBER. LET US HOPE SIR J CATER'S INTERVENTION HAS THE DESIRED EFFECT.
EVANS
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