THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1983
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A1 I THINK YOU KNOW, THE FACT IS IT IS A DECISION WHERE THE MAJOR EFFECT IS ON HONG KONG AND AS FAR AS THAT MAJOR BRITISH COMPANY IS CONCERNED IT IS A COMPANY THAT'S INVOLVED IN MAJOR CONTRACTS ALL OVER THE WORLD ALL OF THE TIME. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DECISION IS PRIMARILY OF IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG. HAVING MADE THE DECISION UNDERSTANDABLY BRITISH COMPANIES, AND NOT JUST GEC. WILL DOUBTLESS BE ENDEAVOUR ING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CONTRACTS THAT TAKE PLACE. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE WRONG FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO TURN ROUND TO HONG KONG AND PUT PRESSURE ON TO SAY WE WANT YOU TO DO THIS BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE A NICE CONTRACT FOR A BRITISH COMPANY AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND HASN'T HAPPENED. WHAT Į THINK WILL BE GOOD OUT OF THIS PROJECT IS THAT IT WILL BE A PROJECT IN WHICH HONG KONG AND CHINA WILL WORK TOGETHER AND IF, AS I HOPE AND BELIEVE, THE BRITISH HAVE A MAJOR PART OF THE CONTRACT TOO THEN HONG KONG, BRITAIN AND CHINA WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER ON A MAJOR PROJECT AND THAT CAN ONLY BE A GOOD THING, BUT CERTAINLY THIS WAS A DECISION WHICH PRIMARILY AFFECTED THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, THE ENERGY CONSUMERS OF HONG KONG, THE FUTURE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA AND QUITE RIGHTLY IT WAS A HONG KONG DECISION.
QI DID THE CHINESE OFFICIALS THAT YOU SPOKE WITH IN PEKING GIVE ANY INDICATION OF ANY FURTHER EXPLORATION CONTRACTS TO BRITISH OR OTHER FOREIGN FIRMS?
At
NO, THEY'RE CONSIDERING THE NEXT ROUND OF LICENSING AND, OF COURSE THEY'VE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN HOW WE'VE HANDLED THE LICENSING IN THE NORTH SEA AND THE ARRANGEMENTS WE'VE OPERATED THERE. AND WE HAVE GIVEN THEM INFORMATION AS TO THE FACTORS WE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE WERE AWARDING LICENCES IN THE NORTH SEA. BUT OBVIOUSLY IT IS DECISIONS THAT THEY WILL MAKE BOTH IN TERMS OF TIMING AND THE METHOD THEY WILL USE AS FAR AS DECISIONS ARE CONCERNED.
QI FOR MR WALKER SO FAR AS YOU KNOW APART FROM U.K. AND FRANCE ARE THERE ANY OTHER COUNTRIES BEING INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN DAYA BAY?
At WELL, I CAN'T SPEAK OBVIOUSLY WITH CERTAINTY, I'M NOT THE CUSTOMER. AND, I MEAN IT IS, CERTAINLY AS YOU KNOW BRITAIN AND FRANCE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN TALKS AND NEGOTIATIONS BUT WHETHER TALKS HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITH OTHER COMPANIES OR OTHER COUNTRIES YOU MUST ASK THE CUSTOMER NOT ME. IF IT WAS ME YOU WERE ASKING ONLY BRITISH COMPANIES WOULD BE INVOLVED!
(NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.)
MR WALKER
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.