TNAG-1501-FCO40-2059-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 87

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(D) RESPONSE TO THE CHINESE.

IT WAS WE WHO SUGGESTED TO LI PENG THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT

INVITE INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG (OUR TELNO.1245). THE

CHINESE HAVE AGREED, SO IT IS NOW UP TO US TO PUT OUR PROPOSALS.

WE HOPE THAT HONG KONG CAN ALSO AGREE TO ZHOU PING'S SUGGESTION TO

SEND CHINESE EXPERTS TO HONG KONG (WE WONDER HOWEVER WHETHER THIS

MAY NOT BE THE PROPOSED EXHIBITION HONG KONG TELNO.2526).

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THE CRUX FOR THE CHINESE IS STILL, HOWEVER, LIKELY TO BE THEIR

WISH THAT HMG SHOULD PUBLICLY EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT. WE

DO NOT DISAGREE WITH THE GENERAL LINE YOU PROPOSE. BUT IT WOULD BE

HELPFUL IF WE COULD IN ADDITION BE AUTHORISED TO REFER, WITH CHAPTER AND VERSE, TO ANY PUBLIC PRONOUNCEMENTS IN HONG KONG BY INFLUENTIAL BRITONS WHETHER HKG OFFICIALS OR VISITING EXPERTS (EG THE LEGCO

SPEECH BY THE ECONOMIC SERVICES SECRETARY). ANY PUBLIC PRO-

NOUNCEMENTS BY HMG IN THE UK IN GENERAL SUPPORT OF THE NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY MIGHT ALSO BE QUOTED (EG MR WALKER'S RECENT SPEECH, A COPY OF WHICH WE HAVE SENT TO LI PENG). TO ACT THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, THE CHINESE POSITION IS UNDERSTANDABLE IN THE CIRCUM- STANCES. THE PROPOSAL FOR A NUCLEAR POWER STATION TO SERVE HONG KONG ORIGINALLY EMANATED FROM HONG KONG (LORD KADOOR IE), AND HAS BEEN SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF NEGOTIATIONS BY HMG AND (WITH CERTAIN RESERVATIONS AT CERTAIN TIMES) BY HKG. THE CHINESE CAN WITH SOME JUSTIFICATION FEEL LET DOWN IF, HMG AFTER EXPRESSING PUBLIC SATISFACTION AT THE SIGNATURE OF THE MOU WITH GEC IN

JANUARY, NOW KEEP SILENT ON THE PROJECT IN THE FACE OF PUBLIC DISQUIET AROUSED ALMOST SOLELY AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT IN

ANOTHER COUNTRY. THERE WILL PRESUMABLY BE A NEED FOR HMG TO EXPRESS

SOME PUBLIC SATISFACTION AGAIN WHEN THE CONTRACTS ARE SIGNED OR WHEN

AUTHORITY TO PROCEED IS ISSUED. THIS MIGHT BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO

OFFER SOME ADDITIONAL WORDS OF CONFIDENCE IN THE SAFETY OF NUCLEAR POWER, LINKED WITH WHATEVER CAN THEN BE SAID ABOUT OUR PROPOSED

TRAINING AND EDUCATION OF CHINESE NUCLEAR TECHNICANS AND MANAGERS.

EVANS

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GUANGDONG NUCLEAR

COPIES TO:

DR S. A. HARBINSON

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