TNAG-2829-FCO40-4082-Hong-Kong-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station--Daya-Bay--China-1993 — Page 187

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 765

OF 181701Z AUGUST 93

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

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TOP COPY Q DIST?

INFO ROUTINE UKMIS VIENNA, WASHINGTON INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

75

YOUR TELNO 1343 FOLIO 75: GUANGDONG BAY

1.

WE AGREE THAT THE REFUSAL OF THE MEETING THIS MONTH IS DISAPPOINTING.

166/1/2

RECE"

no 1993

OMNY

76

163641

MDHOAN 6950

UCLEAR POWER STATION AT DAYA

GUANGDONG SIDE TO HOLD A

BUT WE HAVE SOME MISGIVINGS ABOUT THE POINTS IN YOUR PARA 4. WE THINK THEY ARE TOO AGGRESSIVE FOR PEKING TO USE WITH CHEN ZENGQING, WHO HAS PROVED REASONABLY RECEPTIVE TO OUR APPROACHES IN THE PAST.

2.

WE SUGGEST REPLACING THE FIRST THREE TIRETS OF PARA 4 WITH THE FOLLOWING TWO:

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· DISAPPOINTED THAT THE GUANGDONG SIDE HAVE NOT AGREED TO RESUME TALKS THIS MONTH, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO HOLD FURTHER MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE CONFIDENTIALITY QUESTION.

WHILST WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EMERGENCY EXERCISE ON 18 AUGUST, IT IS URGENT FOR TALKS TO RESUME AND FOR AGREEMENT TO BE REACHED, AS TESTING AT THE PLANT HAS STARTED AND THE SCHEDULED COMMISSIONING DATE FOR THE FIRST REACTOR IN NOVEMBER IS DRAWING NEAR. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS COMING UNDER INCREASING PUBLIC PRESSURE TO ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF THE SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS MADE WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. FAILURE TO REACH AGREEMENT SOON WOULD BE MOST DAMAGING TO PUBLIC CONFIDENCE.

3.

WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE COURSE OF ACTION WHICH YOU MENTION IN PARA 3. WE BELIEVE THAT ANY SUCH PUBLIC DISCLOSURES ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD NOT ONLY PREJUDICE THE PROSPECT OF CONSTRUCTIVE COOPERATION WITH THE GUANGDONG SIDE OVER DAYA BAY IN FUTURE, BUT MAY ALSO SPILL OVER INTO OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA ON A RANGE OF OTHER ISSUES.

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