CONFIDENTIAL
174024
MDLIAN 8151
A TECHNICAL EXPERT FROM PEKING. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE COULD ONLY ASK THEM CAREFULLY TO CONSIDER A PAPER WHICH WE HANDED OVER TO THEM EARLIER AT THE MEETING, SETTING OUT OUR CONCERNS AND REQUIREMENTS REGARDING ON-SITE MATTERS. A COPY ALSO FOLLOWS BY
FAX.
8. WE IMPRESSED ON THEM THE URGENCY OF THE MATTER AND SUGGESTED THAT THE NEXT MEETING BE HELD IN THE LAST WEEK OF APRIL. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE REAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS DATE, BECAUSE A NUMBER OF EXPERTS FROM PEKING WOULD BE JOINING THEIR TEAM, AND IT WOULD TAKE THEM TIME TO OBTAIN THEIR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND VISAS. WE SAID THAT, IF THIS WAS A PROBLEM, WE COULD HELP BY EXPEDITING THE PROCEDURE ON OUR SIDE. ALTERNATIVELY, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO GO TO GUANGZHOU FOR THE NEXT MEETING. THEY SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THE AGREED ARRANGEMENT FOR THE TWO SIDES TO HOST THE MEETING ALTERNATELY. THEY SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE MORE REALISTIC TO AIM FOR MID- MAY. IT WAS LEFT THAT WE WOULD PUT OUR PROPOSED MEETING DATE TO THEM IN WRITING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO ENABLE THEM TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY APPROVAL AND VISAS.
COMMENT
9. THE INITIAL PROPOSAL FROM THE GUANGDONG TEAM IS OBVIOUSLY UNACCEPTABLE. EVEN THE REVISED GUANGDONG PROPOSAL IS NOT MUCH BETTER. WE ARE NOW CONSIDERING, AND WILL PRESENT TO THE GUANGDONG SIDE IN WRITING, AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION. WE WILL LET YOU SEE OUR PROPOSAL IN DRAFT.
10. WE WILL ALSO WRITE TO THEIR TEAM LEADER PROPOSING THAT THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS SHOULD BE HELD IN HONG KONG IN THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY, OR, IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, THE THIRD WEEK OF MAY.
11. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE TALKS NOW CAN BE CONCLUDED BEFORE THE END OF APRIL. FUEL LOADING IS SCHEDULED IN LATE MAY. WE HAVE, HOWEVER, CONFIRMED WITH THE HONG KONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT COMPANY AND OUR EXPERTS THAT THERE IS NOT RISK OF AN ACCIDENT LEADING TO A RADIOACTIVE RELEASE UNTIL TESTING COMMENCES AT THE PLANT IN JULY. NEVERTHELESS, OUR AIM CONTINUES TO BE TO HAVE ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS AGREED BEFORE THE END OF MAY.
PATTEN
YYYY
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