CONFIDENTIAL
HICC 166/1
My Hathalt 22/4 Heale Deal
42
015064
MDHIAN 8970
RECEIVED IN MISTR Ex NYDD TOP COPY
2 APR 1993
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
DESK OFFICER
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
INDEX
PA
TELNO 663
OF 290655Z APRIL
should see.
ра
M
Q DIST?
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS VIENNA, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
40
OUR TELNO 620: GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY.
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WE INTEND TO PROPOSE TO THE GUANGDONG SIDE THAT ONLY COMMERCIALLY SENSITIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL. WE CANNOT AGREE TO ANY RESTRICTIONS GOING BEYOND THIS WHICH WOULD HOLD US HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE. A COPY OF THE FULL TEXT OF THE PAPER ON THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC FOLLOWS BY FAX. IT INCORPORATES OUR PROPOSED REVISIONS TO ITS KEY PARAGRAPH 1.2 ON LIAISON ARRANGEMENTS.
2. WE THINK THAT THE GUANGDONG SIDE WILL PROBABLY REJECT OUR COUNTER-PROPOSAL. THEY MIGHT EVEN REFUSE TO HAVE THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS, WHICH WE HAVE PROPOSED SHOULD BE HELD IN HONG KONG EITHER IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 3 MAY, OR, IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE THE WEEK BEGINNING 17 MAY. WE WOULD, THEREFORE, BE GRATEFUL IF THE AMBASSADOR IN PEKING WOULD SEEK AN EARLY MEETING AGAIN WITH CHEN ZENG QIAN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF THE NUCLEAR STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE STATE COUNCIL. WE SUGGEST THAT THE AMBASSADOR MIGHT MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS TO CHEN:
(A) WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HIS HELP IN SPEEDING UP PROGRESS
OF THE TALKS SO FAR. WE MADE GOOD PROGRESS IN SHENZHEN
IN APRIL:
(B)
(C)
WE ARE HOWEVER VERY CONCERNED THAT THE TALKS HAVE NOW REACHED AN IMPASSE, BECAUSE OF GUANGDONG'S POSITION ON THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO US COUR TUR REFERS):
IT IS OF CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS ABLE TO DISCHARGE ITS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC. THIS MAY ENTAIL PROVIDING TO THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC ADEQUATE INFORMATION PROMPTLY AND REGULARLY, IN ORDER TO EASE PUBLIC CONCERN IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AT THE
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