TNAG-2828-FCO40-4081-Hong-Kong-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station--Daya-Bay--China-1993 — Page 158

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

AGRELL/AED/T HALE/RAS / DOE)

11166/1

HKC 166/1

115076

MDLIAN 0308

ESED: Phil Ambrose 2223'

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

29 JAN 1993

DESK OFFICER INDEX

M. Marshall

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PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

to Peking continuing stal ite shit take actra. 32 toud. Jafe with FED +

TELNO 124

OF 281035Z JANUARY 93

AND TO PRIORITY PEKING

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG

DAYA BAY POWER STATION

SUMMARY

nveller

evergen

1. TALKS STARTED WITH THE CHINESE IN JUNE 1992 ON THE CO- ORDINATION OF HONG KONG'S AND CHINA'S CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR A DAYA BAY EMERGENCY. THEY HAVE RUN INTO DIFFICULTIES BECAUSE THE

TEAM WITH WHICH WE ARE NEGOTIATING, FROM THE EMERGENCY COMMITTEE Regle

List

OF GUANGDONG PROVINCE FOR NUCLEAR POWER ACCIDENTS, IS ONLY AUTHORISED TO DISCUSS THE SHARING OF INFORMATION WITH US IN THE CASE OF AN OFF-SITE EMERGENCY, AND EVEN IN THAT EVENT THEY ARE INTERPRETING THEIR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS IN A VERY NARROW

SENSE.

WE HAVE RAISED OUR CONCERNS WITH NCNA. REQUEST FOR PARALLEL ACTION BY THE EMBASSY WITH THE HKMAO.

2.

DETAIL

3. IN 1987 WE FIRST PROPOSED TO THE CHINESE THAT TALKS SHOULD BE HELD TO CO-ORDINATE HONG KONG'S AND CHINA'S CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR A DAYA DAY EMERGENCY. FOR A LONG TIME THE CHINESE PREVARICATED WHILE THEY DREW UP THEIR OWN PLANS AND HAD THEM APPROVED. FINALLY IN JUNE 1992 THE EMERGENCY COMMITTEE OF GUANGDONG PROVINCE FOR NUCLEAR POWER ACCIDENTS WAS AUTHORISED TO ENTER INTO TALKS WITH US.

4.

ONE PLENARY SESSION AND THREE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD SINCE THEN. WHILE SOME PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON TECHNICAL ISSUES, THE GUANGDONG TEAM HAS MADE CLEAR THAT THEY ARE ONLY AUTHORISED TO DISCUSS OFF-SITE EMERGENCIES. EVEN IN THOSE CASES THEY HAVE ADOPTED A VERY RESTRICTED INTERPRETATION OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE IAEA'S CONVENTION ON THE EARLY NOTIFICATION OF A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT.

ON 18 JANUARY, THE POLITICAL ADVISER RAISED OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS IN THE ANNUAL BORDER LIAISON REVIEW MEETING. EHRMAN

5.

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