CONFIDENTIAL
104
177654
MDLIAN 5630
f
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1661
OF 221215Z OCTOBER 93
AND TO PRIORITY PEKING
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS VIENNA, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
166/1
ра
pa 166/1
2.UCì 1993
TOP COPY Q DIST?
CORRECTED VERSION: PARA 5 (PAGE 2) LINE 5: FOR BUT READ MUST.
MIPT: GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY.
PEKING MIGHT WISH TO DRAW AS APPROPRIATE ON THE FOLLOWING
POINTS:
GRATEFUL FOR CHEN'S HELP IN RESOLVING THE PROBLEM OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND IN HELPING TO BRING THE DISCUSSION ON OFF-SITE ISSUES TO A SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION.
PLEASED THAT HONG KONG AND GUANGDONG HAVE FINALLY MADE A START ON THE DISCUSSION OF ON-SITE ISSUES. THE OUTCOME OF THE EXPERT MEETING ON ON-SITE ISSUES CONCLUDED ON 19 OCTOBER IS, HOWEVER, NOT VERY ENCOURAGING. THERE ARE WIDE DIFFERENCES OF VIEWS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.
THE HONG KONG SIDE HAVE EXPLAINED TO THE GUANGDONG SIDE THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ON-SITE INCIDENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR TWO REASONS; FIRST, TO STRENGTHEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPABILITY AND, SECOND, TO HELP THE TWO SIDES TO WORK TOGETHER TO DISPEL UNFOUNDED RUMOURS ABOUT PLANT INCIDENTS. HONG KONG NEEDS TO BE INFORMED OF ALL EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND OTHER SAFETY SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS AT THE PLANT, TO COUNTER PROMPTLY ANY RUMOURS THAT MAY BE TRIGGERED OFF BY MINOR PLANT INCIDENTS. THIS WILL BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST ON BOTH SIDES. THE GUANGDONG SIDE'S PROPOSAL, HOWEVER, FAILS TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THIS IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
THE GUANGDONG SIDE HAVE PROPOSED THAT COMMUNICATIONS FOR ALL SITUATIONS OTHER THAN OFF-SITE EMERGENCIES SHOULD BE MADE THROUGH THE NCNA. THIS COULD SERIOUSLY AFFECT THE SPEED AND ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION EXCHANGED, AND CAST DOUBT IN THE MINDS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF THE ARRANGEMENTS. WE FEEL
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PAGE CONFIDENTIAL