TNAG-1499-FCO40-2057-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 3

GRS 400

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TO DESK BY 15100OZ FCO

TELNO 1252

OF 1508062 JULY 36

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13 JUL 198

OP CORE

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, STC HONG KONG, PARIS, UKMIS VIENNA

FROM DAVIES

268)

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MY TELNOS 1244, 1245 AND 1246: NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA

1. FRENCH AMBASSADOR MET LI PENG ON 15 JULY. GOURIEVIDIS HAS

BRIEFED US.

2. MALO BEGAN BY CONFIRMING THAT THIS WAS PART OF A JOINT APPROACH. HE SPOKE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREED LINE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE

FRENCH WERE READY TO RECEIVE THE GROUP FROM HONG KONG.

3. LI PENG RESPONDED THAT THE CHINESE WOULD STUDY THE ANGLO-FRENCH MESSAGE WITH CARE. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE CHINESE AND THE FRENCH

GOVERNMENTS SHOULD GIVE JOINT PUBLICITY ABOUT THE SIGNATURE OF THEIR AGREEMENT ON NUCLEAR SAFETY CO-OPERATION AS AN ADDITIONAL MEANS OF

ALLAYING CONCERN IN HONG KON

G. HE REAFFIRMED STRONGLY THAT THE DAYA BAY PLANT WOULD BE BUILT. THIS WS NOT HIS PERSONAL VIEW, BUT WAS THE POSITION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. HE ASKED MALO TO CONVEY IT TO THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. HE REFERRED TO THE 'FALSE REPORT FROM HONG KONG THAT A CHINESE LEADER HAD SUGGESTED THAT IT MIGHT NOT BE BUILT.

4. LI PENG SAID THAT AFTER CHERNOBYL, THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAD BECOME MUCH MORE SENSITIVE ON NUCLEAR SAFETY AND WERE NOW PLACING CONSIDERABLY MORE EMPHASIS ON SAFETY. HE WAS VERY HAPPY AT THE READINESS OF THE UK AND FRANCE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH CHINA TO ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE SAFETY STANDARDS. LI PENG SAID THAT CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY HAD BECOME A BIG PROBLEM IN HONG KONG, LARGELY FOR TWO REASONS: A LACK OF RELIABLE INFORMATION WHICH GAVE RISE TO FEARS: AND ALSO A MORE INSIDIOUS CAUSE, NAMELY PEOPLE STIRRING UP FEARS FOR THEIR OWN REASONS. THE PROBLEMS OF SAFETY WERE INDEED SERIOUS AND COULD NOT BE TACKLED WITHOUT MUCH CARE AND PRUDENCE. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, HAD GREAT FAITH IN NUCLEAR ENERGY, PARTICULARLY FOR POWER GENERATION, AND THEIR FAITH WAS BASED ON BOTH TECHNICAL AND POLITICAL REASONS. THE CHINESE WOULD TRY TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION ACCORDINGLY. HE COMMENDED AS A VERY GOOD IDEA THE INVITATION TO HONG KONG GROUPS TO VISIT THE UK (SIC) AND FRANCE. THOSE GOING WOULD NOT BE EXPERTS SO HE SUGGESTED DOWN-TO-EARTH VISITS TO SHOW THEM NUCLEAR STATIONS IN OPERATION AND CITIES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO

SUCH STATIONS. OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEETING LOCAL CITIZENS IN SUCH

CITIES AND ACCESS TO DATA INDICATING NO ENHANCED MORTALITY OR

FERTILITY PROBLEMS SHOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED. AS FOR WHETHER ANY

CHINESE SHOULD ACCOMPANY SUCH A HONG KONG GROUP, NO DECISION HAD

BEEN TAKEN BUT HIS INITIAL VIEW WAS NOT IN FAVOUR.

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