CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 726
OF 102301Z MAY 93
AND TO PRIORITY PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
REL
HCC 166/1
49
045233
MDLIAN 2091
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS VIENNA, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
48
PEKING TELNO 628: GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY
1. WE HAVE RECONSIDERED OUR POSITION AND TACTICS IN THE LIGHT OF TUR. GIVEN THE INDICATIONS THAT THE GUANGDONG SIDE MAY MODIFY THEIR STAND, WE THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT FOR US NOT TO PUT FORWARD ANY COUNTER-PROPOSAL IN WRITING AND BIND OURSELVES TO A DEFINITE POSITION BEFORE THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS. INSTEAD, WE PROPOSE TO START THE NEXT ROUND BY RESTATING OUR VIEWS ON THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION TO ASCERTAIN THE LATEST POSITION OF THE GUANGDONG SIDE FIRST. THIS SHOULD ENABLE US TO RESPOND TO ANY MOVEMENT ON THEIR PART.
2. IF THE GUANGDONG SIDE CONFIRM THAT THEY NO LONGER INSIST ON A WRITTEN PROVISION ON CONFIDENTIALITY, BUT STILL WANT REASSURANCE OF SOME SORT, THEN WE WOULD TRY TO MEET THEIR CONCERN BY EMPHASISING OUR WISH TO MAXIMISE CO-ORDINATION WITH THEM ON ANY INFORMATION RELEASE. WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO SUGGEST THE INCLUSION OF A CLAUSE IN THE AGREEMENT ON SUCH CO-ORDINATION.
3. IF, HOWEVER, THEY REMAIN ADAMANT THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF CONFIDENTIALITY MUST BE STATED CLEARLY IN WRITING, THEN WE WOULD TAKE THE LINE THAT ONLY COMMERCIALLY SENSITIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL, AND THAT WE SEE NO REASON WHY ANY OTHER INFORMATION SHOULD BE TREATED LIKEWISE. WE WOULD TRY TO PROBE THE GUANGDONG SIDE'S SPECIFIC CONCERNS, AND FIND WAYS OF ADDRESSING THOSE CONCERNS WITHOUT COMPROMISING OUR ABILITY TO DISCHARGE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO REASSURE THE HONG KONG PUBLIC ABOUT HEALTH AND SAFETY.
4. WE HOPE TO RESOLVE THIS QUESTION ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE TALKS, SO THAT WE CAN PROCEED QUICKLY TO THE DISCUSSION OF ON- SITE ISSUES. IF, HOWEVER, WE CANNOT SETTLE THE QUESTION ON THE FIRST DAY, WE WOULD THEN SUGGEST MOVING ON TO DISCUSS ON-SITE ISSUES, RETURNING TO THE QUESTION OF CONFIDENTIALITY LATER, AFTER EACH SIDE HAS GIVEN THE MATTER MORE THOUGHT.
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