TNAG-0767-FCO40-971-Supplies-of-electrical-power-for-Hong-Kong-Castle-Peak-power-1978 — Page 169

700

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EN CLAIR

FM HONG KONG 0408197

UNCLASSIFIED

MAY 1978

DESK OFFICEM INDEX

RY

Act Taken

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON TELNO.460 OF 4 MAY 78, INFO F.C.0, D.O.T (CRE4), D.0.1(MCDONALD IC2), PEKING.

B.T.C TELNO.42 TO F.C.O :

See (103)

GAVSHON REPORT ON CHINA/HONG KONG COAL DEAL.

1. I HAVE JUST SEEN THIS REPORT ON RETURN TO HONG KONG. IT WAS

BASED ON MY ANSWER TO SPECIFIC QUESTION FROM GAVSHON AS TO WHETHER TRIANGULAR COAL FOR MINING EQUIPMENT DEAL HAD BEEN CONCLUDED. MY ANSWER AS RECORDED IN THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER'S

TELEX OF 27 APRIL WAS:-

''NO ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE FOR CHINA TO SUPPLY COAL FOR

THE NEW CHINA LIGHT POWER STATION AS PART OF A DEAL IN WHICH

EITHER THE U.K WOULD HELP CHINA TO DEVELOP ITS COAL RESOURCES. CHINA OR AUSTRALIA COULD SUPPLY THE COAL NEEDED, BUT IT WOULD BE A FURTHER DEMONSTRATION OF THE ''MUTUALITY OF INTEREST''

ABOUT BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA IF THE COAL CAME FROM CHINA. THREE MILLION TONS OF COAL A YEAR WOULD BE NEEDED, BUT NOT FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.""

SUGGEST

2. SO DIRECT A DISTORTION OF AN ANSWER IS UNUSUAL.

F.C.0 OR BOX ALL SHOULD CONSIDER BRINGING IT TOO GAVSHON'S

ATTENTION.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

FED HK & GD

ES & SD

MR MURRAY

ницо

mike br

A Garston.

mitry &

102

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