TNAG-2828-FCO40-4081-Hong-Kong-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station--Daya-Bay--China-1993 — Page 95

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MDLIAN 0004

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 400

OF 120416Z MARCH 93 AND TO PRIORITY UKMIS INFO PRIORITY PEKING,

166/1 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

15 MAR 1993

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taker

VIENNA

UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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UKMIS VIENNA TELNO 34 TO FCO: GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER STATION, DAYA BAY

1. WE APPRECIATE THE POINTS MADE IN TUR, BUT AS YOU ARE AWARE WE HAVE A POTENTIALLY VERY SERIOUS NUCLEAR SAFETY ISSUE ON OUR HANDS, AND ARE MAKING PRECIOUS LITTLE HEADWAY WITH THE CHINESE. WE HAD THOUGHT THAT NUCLEAR SAFETY COULD NEVER BE A PURELY BILATERAL ISSUE, GIVEN THE GEOGRAPHICALLY VERY WIDESPREAD EFFECTS OF AN ACCIDENT. IT IS AS A SAFETY ISSUE, RATHER THAN A BILATERAL HONG KONG/CHINA PROBLEM, THAT WE ARE CONCERNED. IF WE DO NOT HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE AND ADEQUATE WARNING SYSTEM IN PLACE BY THE TIME THE PLANT IS COMMISSIONED IT WILL CERTAINLY BECOME A MAJOR ISSUE HERE. WE ARE ALL FOR QUIET DIPLOMACY IF IT CAN PRODUCE RESULTS. BUT THIS ISSUE IS SUFFICIENTLY SERIOUS THAT WE MUST CONSIDER OTHER WAYS TO PERSUADE THE CHINESE TO BE MORE CO-OPERATIVE. WE ARE CONTENT FOR THE MOMENT TO BE GUIDED BY UKMIS VIENNA'S TACTICAL ADVICE. BUT THIS DOES SEEM ON OF THE FEW ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES OPEN TO US.

2. AS IT HAPPENS, HKG'S LAW OFFICER (INTERNATIONAL LAW), DAVID EDWARDS, WHO USED TO BE DIRECTOR OF THE LEGAL DIVISION OF IAEA, WILL BE IN VIENNA DURING THE WEEK BEGINNING 22 MARCH FOR TALKS ON INVESTMENT PROTECTION WITH THE AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT. HE WOULD BE VERY WILLING TO DROP IN TO SEE MR HULSE AND, SUBJECT TO THE LATTER'S ADVICE, THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE AGENCY OR OTHER APPROPRIATE SENIOR OFFICIALS.

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