CONFIDENTIAL
-CONFIDENTIAL
16611
RECEIVE
iL MAR 1993
Q DIST?
043507 DHIAN 2574
TOP COPY DHIAN
26
DESK OTHER INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Take
кел
FM HONG KONG
TELNO 380
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
OF 090854Z MARCH 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, UKMIS VIENNA
GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY.
1. WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE EMERGENCY COMMITTEE OF GUANGDONG PROVINCE FOR NUCLEAR POWER ACCIDENT (THE BODY WHICH ENGAGES IN TALKS WITH US) PROPOSING THAT THE NEXT ROUND OF EXPERT TALKS START ON 22 MARCH RATHER THAN 18 MARCH AS WAS SCHEDULED, AND INFORMING US THAT OUR PROPOSALS ON ISSUES RATHER THAN OFF-SITE EMERGENCIES ARE BEING STUDIED BY THE RELEVANT NATIONAL AUTHORITIES AND WE WILL PROBABLY RECEIVE A FORMAL RESPONSE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
2. THE LETTER DOES NOT SAY THAT WE WILL RECEIVE A RESPONSE TO OUR CONCERNS AT THE MARCH MEETING. THIS COULD IMPLY THAT THE GUANGDONG DELEGATES WILL ONLY DISCUSS OFF-SITE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WITH US AT THE FORTHCOMING TALKS AND LEAVE OTHER ISSUES TO THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES. IF THAT WERE THE CASE, IT WOULD RUN COUNTER TO THEIR EARLIER INDICATIONS THAT THEY INTEND TO GIVE A RESPONSE TO ALL OUR CONCERNS AT THE MARCH MEETING. WE WOULD ALSO HAVE LOST MUCH VALUABLE TIME.
3. WE WOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL IF THE AMBASSADOR COULD, WHEN HE APPROACHES CHEN ZENGQUING (THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL'S NUCLEAR STEERING COMMITTEE) ALSO RAISE THIS PARTICULAR CONCERN AND SEEK REASSURANCE THAT WE WILL, IN FACT, RECEIVE A POSITIVE AND SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE TO ALL OF OUR CONCERNS AT OR BEFORE THE MARCH MEETING.
PATTEN
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