TNAG-1499-FCO40-2057-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 28

MICK WOLL.

RECEIVED IN -

18 JUL 1980

CONFIDENTIALOR COPY

GRS 400

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO DESKBY 14120OZ FCO

TELNO 1246

OF 14114OZ JULY 86

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, PARIS, UKDEL VIENNA

(3) MY TWO IPTS:

NUCLEAR SAFETY:

CHINA.

1. I HAD MORE THAN HALF EXPECTED LI PENG TO START THE MEETING BY

ASKING ME TO CONVEY A MESSAGE TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. HE HAD

THINGS WHICH HE WANTED TO SAY TO ME. BUT I DO NOT THINK WITH

HINDSIGHT THAT HE WOULD HAVE ASKED ME TO CALL UNLESS HE HAD BEEN

TOLD THAT I HAD A MESSAGE TO DELIVER.

2. LI'S REACTION TO MY MESSAGE WAS MORE ACCOMMODATING THAN I HAD

EXPECTED. HE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CHALLENGE THE PASSAGES IN T

WHICH UNDERLINED THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT

AND THE JOINT VENTURE COMPANY FOR REASSURING PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG

KONG. IT IS ENCOURAGING THAT HE SPOKE SO CLEARLY ABOUT THE NEED

FOR THE CHINESE SIDE TO GO PUBLIC ABOUT ITS PLANS OVER SAFETY AS

PART OF A CAMPAIGN OF REASSURANCE (THOUGH LESS ENCOURAGING THAT HE

WANT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PUBLICLY TO EXPRESS A FIRM POSITION

ABOUT THE PROJECT).

3. LI WAS QUITE CATEGORICAL ABOUT THE CONTINUED COMMITMENT OF THE

CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO THE PROJECT. HE WAS KEEN TO EMPHASISE THAT

THERE WAS NO TRUTH IN THE STORY SPREAD BY SOME RECENT VISITORS TO

PEKING FROM HONG KONG THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS RECONSIDERING

ITS ATTITUDE (I SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN ANY LIGHT WHICH HONG KONG MAY BE ABLE TO SHED ON THE IDENTITY OF THESE VISITORS).

4. YOU AND HONG KONG WILL WISH TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE DRAFT OF THE

SPEECH TO BE GIVEN BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY DURING THE ADJOURN-

MENT DEBATE IN LEGCO ON 16 JULY NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED IN THE LIGHT

OF WHAT WAS SAID DURING MY CALL ON LI. I AM SURE, HOWEVER, THAT IT

CONFIDENTIAL

/WOULD

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