COMMENT
CONFIDENTIAL
!
5. GU MU HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN CAREFULLY BRIEFED ON THIS SUBJECT AND WAS TRYING TO BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS EMBASSY'S REPEATED ENQUIRIES ABOUT PROGRESS, CULMINATING IN THE MINISTER'S REITERATION OF OUR INTEREST DURING HIS EARLIER OFFICIAL CALLS IN PEKING.
6. THIS IS THE MOST SPECIFIC HIGH-LEVEL INDICATION OF CHINESE THINKING WE HAVE HAD FOR A LONG TIME. IT IS CLEAR FROM RECENT OFFICIAL CONTACTS AT A LOWER LEVEL, INCLUDING MA REES' CALL ON 11 DECEMBER ON THE VICE MINISTER OF THE MINISTRY OF ELECTRIC POWER, SHU ZEWEN, THAT THERE IS STILL A CONSIDERABLE DIVERGENCE OF OPINION IN CHINESE OFFICIAL CIRCLES ON THE HEP VERSUS NUCLEAR POWER FOR GUANGDONG DEBATE. SHU WAS NOT AS FORTHCOMING AS GU MU. HE IMPLIED THAT THE BALL HAD BEEN THROWN BACK INTO GUANGDONG'S COURT TO RE-EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND GAVE HIS PERSONAL OPINION THAT NO FINAL DECISION WAS LIKELY TO EMERGE FOR ANOTHER
SIX MONTHS.
7. THE MINISTER WILL BE RAISING THIS QUESTION AGAIN IN THE COUR SE OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GUANGDONG PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES ON 16-17 DECEMBER. WE MUST SEE WHETHER ANY NEW SLANT EMERGES THERE.
8. (FOR BTC HONG KONG ONLY)
THE MINISTER WILL WISH TO RAISE THIS ISSUE WITH SIR L KADOORIE WHEN HE SEES HIM IN HONG KONG. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD BE READY TO ADVISE THE MINISTER ON ARRIVAL AS TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH KADOORIE SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO OUR CONFIDENCE ON THE
FOREGOING.
CRADOCK
LIMITED
FED
NED
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
GUANGDONG NUCLEAR
HK&GD
TRED
SIR E YOUDE
MR DONALD MR GILLMOKE
-2-
CONFIDENTIAL
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