CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1113
OF 071115Z APRIL 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
6
8
CONFIDENTIAL
(9)
130100
MDHIAN 9839
166/1
HKC 166
TOP
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
PEKING TELNO'S 557 AND 563
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR PEKING'S EFFORTS OVER THIS. THE HONG KONG PRESS HAS CONTINUED TO RUN THE STORY, CLEARLY RELUCTANT TO LET IT GO, DESPITE ONE REPORT IN THE MING PAO OF 6 APRIL OF A STATEMENT BY A SPOKESMAN OF THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF ENERGY THAT THE MINISTRY HAD NEVER HEARD OF A PROPOSAL TO BUILD A SECOND NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN
DAYA BAY.
2.
AFTER CONSULTATION BY TELEPHONE WITH THE EMBASSY, WE ARE SAYING IN ANSWER TO PRESS QUESTIONS THAT THE EMBASSY HAVE RAISED THE MATTER WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE REPORT OF PLANS FOR A SECOND DAYA BAY PLANT ARE NOT/NOT TRUE. GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE STORY HOWEVER IT WOULD STILL BE VERY HELPFUL IF A FURTHER CHINESE STATEMENT COULD BE MADE, PERHAPS WITH THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE COUNCIL.
3.
I SAW XU JIATUN OF NCNA TODAY FOR A GENERAL CHAT AND RAISED THE DAYA BAY STORY, INTER ALIA, AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE OF THING WHICH COULD UNNECESSARILY HEIGHTEN ANXIETIES HERE. HE CONFIRMED THAT NCNA WERE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE MATTER. THEY HAD SENT A REPORT TO
PEKING CRITICAL OF WHAT JIANG HAD SAID AND SUGGESTING THAT AN AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT SHOULD BE ISSUED: THE MINISTRY OF ENERGY'S STATMENT WAS NOT ENOUGH. XU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WRONG TO BUILD A FURTHER NUCLEAR POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY.
WILSON
YYYY
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