TNAG-1502-FCO40-2060-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 163

SPECIFIC POINTS:

CONFIDENTIAL

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(I)

RAVIER AGREED TO

EXAMINE AND REPORT

BENJAMIN WILL

PROPOSED EXHIBITIOR IN HONG KONG:

ASK EDF'S REPRESENTATIVE IN THE JVC TO

BACK ON THE CONTENT OF THE EXHIBITION.

SUGGEST THE SAME TO STONES. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE A FURTHER

CHECK ON ITS SUITABILITY FOR A HONG KONG AUDIENCE.

(II) CONTINUING FRENCH INVOLVEMENT IN OPERATION OF THE

PLANT: RAVIER SAID THAT THE FRENCH RECOGNISED THE LIKELY

NEED FOR A PERIOD OF COLLABORATION BEYOND THE SIX MONTHS

ENVISAGED IN EDF'S CURRENT CONTRACT. HOWEVER SUCH

COLLABORATION WOULD NEED TO TAKE PLACE UNDER THE AUSPICES

OF THE SINO-FRENCH NUCLEAR CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT, AND THE

AGREEMENT WOULD NEED TO BE AMENDED TO PERMIT IT. THE

FRENCH DID NOT INTEND TO RAISE THIS PRIOR TO CONTRACT

SIGNATURE. THEY WERE STILL NERVOUS ABOUT APPEARING TO

QUESTION CHINESE CAPABILITIES. IN ADDITION THEY FELT THAT

ZHOU PING HAD CLEARLY ASCRIBED DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES

TO THE FRENCH AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS: THE BRITISH SHARED

THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CALMING HONG KONG, WHEREAS THE

FRENCH HAD THE JOB OF COMPLETING THE PLANT. WE TOOK ISSUE

WITH THIS ANALYSIS, POINTING OUT THAT THE FRENCH, AS VENDORS

OF THE NUCLEAR ISLAND, HAD AN ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE

TO ALL ASPECTS OF NUCLEAR SAFETY, AND THUS HONG NG'S

CONCERNS. IF THE FRENCH INTENDED TO TAKE FURTHER STEPS

UNDER THEIR NUCLEAR CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT, IT WOULD BE

HELPFUL FOR THIS TO BE KNOWN PRIOR TO CONTRACT SIGNATURE.

RAVIER ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ANO SUGGESTED WE SHOULD TAKE THE

POINT UP FORMALLY WITH THE RELEVANT PART OF THE QUAI D'ORSAY

WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR INTERNATIONAL NLCLEAR MATTERS.

WE ARE CONSULTING INTERESTED DEPARTMERTS ON THIS SUGGESTION

WHICH AT FIRST SIGHT SEEMS ONE TO BE PURSUED. AS PART OF

THE PROCESS, WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR VIEWS.

(III) WE ALSO MENTIONED OUR WISH TO TAP THE CEA'S INFORMA-

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CONFIDENTIAL

ITION.