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NOW APPROACH CHEN ZENGQING OF THE NUCLEAR STEERING COMMITTEE OFFICE AGAIN AND/OR THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL TO PRESS OUR CASE. WE SUGGEST THAT PEKING MIGHT MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
DISAPPOINTED AND DISMAYED THAT THE GUANGDONG SIDE HAVE CONTINUALLY RESISTED OUR REQUESTS TO RESUME TALKS.
IN RESPONSE TO AN EARLIER PROPOSAL MADE BY THE GUANGDONG SIDE, WE HAVE AGREED TO A DELEGATION-LEVEL MEETING TO FURTHER DISCUSS AND RESOLVE THE CONFIDENTIALITY QUESTION, AND TO COMMENCE DISCUSSION OF ON-SITE ISSUES AT THE SAME TIME. THE LATEST RESPONSE FROM THE GUANGDONG SIDE HOWEVER SUGGESTS THAT THE EARLIER PROPOSAL MAY BE ONLY DELAYING TACTICS. THE GUANGDONG SIDE NOW CLAIMS THAT BECAUSE OF THE OFF-SITE EMERGENCY EXERCISE TO BE CONDUCTED ON 18 AUGUST, THE EARLIEST DATE FOR A MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES WOULD BE MID-SEPTEMBER. UNREASONABLE AND MOST WORRYING.
THIS IS
URGENT FOR TALKS TO RESUME AND FOR AGREEMENT TO BE REACHED IMMEDIATELY, AS TESTING AT THE PLANT HAS STARTED AND THE SCHEDULED COMMISSIONING DATE FOR THE FIRST REACTOR IN NOVEMBER IS DRAWING NEAR. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS COMING UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM LEGCO AND THE PUBLIC TO ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF THE AGREED ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE CHINESE. ANY PERCEIVED FAILURE OR UNWILLINGNESS BY ANY ONE SIDE TO REACH SUCH AN AGREEMENT WOULD BE MOST DAMAGING TO PUBLIC CONFIDENCE.
WE ARE WILLING TO DISCUSS THE CONFIDENTIALITY QUESTION FURTHER. AS EXPLAINED BEFORE, WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW IN SPECIFIC AND PRACTICAL TERMS THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE GUANGDONG SIDE MIGHT WISH TO CLASSIFY INFORMATION AS CONFIDENTIAL. IT WOULD ALSO HELP US TO CONSIDER FULLY THE QUESTION IF WE KNOW THE SHAPE OF THE OVERALL ARRANGEMENTS COVERING BOTH ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE ISSUES. WE
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