SECRET
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MDHIAN S 7
DECIDED. THEY HAVE DRAFTED AN INTERIM PRESS STATEMENT IN CASE OF A PREMATURE LEAK: SEE TEXT IN MIFT.
5. THE HKG DOES NOT OF COURSE HAVE A DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THE DAYA BAY PROJECT. WE ARE NEVERTHELESS MONITORING THE SITUATION CLOSELY AND WILL DO WHAT WE CAN, THROUGH HKNIC, TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER SOLUTION IS REACHED, THE ORGINAL TECHNICAL AND SAFETY STANDARDS ARE NOT COMPROMISED. WE ARE ALSO WRITING IN CONFIDENCE TO HKNIC TO ESTABLISH MORE PRECISE DETAILS OF WHAT HAS GONE WRONG
AND WHY.
6. I SEE EVERY ADVANTAGE IN GNPJVC ISSUING A PRESS RELEASE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT CAN ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE NEWS LEAKS THAT WORK ON THE SITE HAS STOPPED. INDEED, IT IS SURPRISING THAT THIS HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED. IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, SILENCE WOULD FUEL SUSPICION. THE RUMOUR MILL WOULD WORK OVERTIME.
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7. WHATEVER WAY THE NEWS BECOME PUBLIC IT WILL PROVIDE A HEAVEN- SENT OPPORTUNITY TO THE OPPONENTS OF DAYA BAY TO RAISE SCARE STORIES ABOUT INCOMPENTANT WORK, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION AND THE UNRELIABILITY OF THE NUCLEAR PLANT. BY TAKING THE INITIATIVE GNP JVC COULD SET THE PROBLEM IN PERSPECTIVE AND EMPHASIZE THE SUPERVISORY STANDARDS THAT ENABLED THE PROBLEM TO BE SPOTTED AS WELL AS THE REMEDIAL WORK PROPOSED
8. IF GNPJVC CONTINUE TO BE RELUCTANT TO ISSUE A RELEASE, WE MAY HAVE TO ASK YOU, LATER IN THE WEEK, TO AUTHORISE AN APPROACH IN PEKING TO IMPRESS ON THE CHINESE AT CENTRAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL THE SERIOUS- NESS OF THE POTENTIAL PUBLIC RELATIONS PROBLEMS THEY FACE.
WILSON
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66
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66
LIMITED
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PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/PUS
MR
GILLMORE
MR FALL
MR MCLAREN
MR SLATER
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