GRS 1150
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
HICC 166/1 нас
CONFIDENTIAL
RECLIVED IN
1 1 AUG 1986
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
OK OFF C
TELNO 1431
IN:
OF 1107O9Z AUGUST 86
913
TOP COPY
DIST ?
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, DTI ~ PARIS
NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA:
MEETING WITH ZHOU NAN.
1. AT SHORT NOTICE MFA VICE MINISTER ZHOU NAN INVITED THE
AMBASSADOR AND MYSELF TO DINNER ON 9 AUGUST. VICE MINISTER OF
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY ZHOU PING AND HEAD OF MFA WESTERN EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT MEI ZHAORONG WERE ALSO PRESENT. ON OUR ARRIVAL ZHOU
NAN CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS TO BE A WORKING DINNER.
2. ZHOU NAN'S MAIN MESSAGE CONCERNED THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR PROJECT. HE ASKED THE AMBASSADOR WHETHER WE
HAD ANY RESPONSE TO OFFER TO THE MESSAGE DELIVERED BY ZHOU PING ON 22 JULY.
3. THE AMBASSADOR ASSURED ZHOU NAN THAT THAT MESSAGE HAD BEEN
RELAYED TO LONDON. IT CALLED FOR INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CONSULTATION. HE HAD EXPECTED INSTRUCTIONS TO THE EMBASSY TO HAVE ARRIVED BY THE
TIME HE RETURNED FROM QINGDAO ON 7 AUGUST. NO INSTRUCTIONS HAD BEEN RECEIVED, BUT HE UNDERSTOOD THEY WOULD BE COMING SHORTLY. THE EMBASSY WOULD PROBABLY BE GIVING A FORMAL REPLY DURING THE WEEK BEGINNING 11 AUGUST.
4. THE AMBASSADOR AGREED THAT CLOSE CONSULTATION WAS NECESSARY.
HONG KONG OPINION WAS AGITATED, AND IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BE DONE TO CALM THIS DOWN. BUT FOR THIS TO BE DONE
EFFECTIVELY, FENCES SHOULD NOT BE RUSHED. THERE WERE TWO TEAMS FROM HONG KONG IN EUROPE AND THE US LOOKING AT PRESSURISED WATER REACTORS. THEIR REPORTS WOULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG OPINION. MEANWHILE HE HAD HEARD THAT XU
JIATUN HAD SAID IN HONG KONG THAT THERE COULD BE SOME DELAY IN
CONTRACT SIGNATURE FOR THE PROJECT SO THAT THESE REPORTS COULD BE
CONSIDERED FIRST. DID ZHOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT ?.
5. ZHOU NAN REPLIED THAT XU HAD BEEN REACTING TO SUGGESTIONS MADE IN HONG KONG. WHAT DID HMG THINK ?. THE AMBASSADOR SAID THAT HMG WAS STUDYING THIS SUGGESTION. BUT THERE WAS OF COURSE THE 7 OCTOBER DEADLINE FOR AUTHORITY TO PROCEED. ZHOU SAID THAT THE ''PRELIM- INARY'' CHINESE REACTION WAS THAT A SHORT POSTPONEMENT COULD BE
CONFIDENTIAL
/CONSIDERED
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.