TNAG-2829-FCO40-4082-Hong-Kong-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station--Daya-Bay--China-1993 — Page 247

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDHIAN 4478

QUESTION OF LACK OF TRUST OR SEEKING A VETO, BUT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO SETTLE THESE QUESTIONS FORMALLY IN ADVANCE OF ANY INCIDENT ARISING.

7. WE SAID THAT WE SEEMED TO HAVE HIT A SERIOUS DIFFERENCE OF VIEWS HERE ON WHAT SHOULD BE SAID IN THE AGREEMENT. WE HAD A REAL PROBLEM WITH HONG KONG OPINION THE CHINESE SIDE COULD GET CONFIRMATION OF THIS FROM THEIR OWN PEOPLE. WE SAID THAT FRANKLY THERE WERE HISTORICAL REASONS, EG CERTAIN EXPERIENCES IN THE SOVIET UNION, FOR PEOPLE'S UNEASINESS ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY: PERHAPS IN A FEW YEARS SUCH MATTERS WOULD BE LESS SENSITIVE, BUT MEANWHILE WHAT THE CHINESE WERE INSISTING ON WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND WE COULD NOT SEE A WAY FORWARD. WE WOULD REPORT BUT WE URGED THEM TO CONSIDER OUR POINTS CAREFULLY AND SEE WHETHER THEY COULD NOT DROP THEIR DEMAND.

ON-SITE ISSUES

8.

THIS DID

AS CHEN HAD ALSO SPOKEN ABOUT THE WAY THIS DISAGREEMENT HAD BLOCKED PROGRESS IN THE LAST DAY AND A HALF OF THE SIXTH ROUND OF EXPERT TALKS, WE SAID THAT WE THOUGHT IT A PITY THAT THE GUANGDONG SIDE HAD BEEN UNWILLING TO GO INTO ON-SITE ISSUES UNTIL THE CONFIDENTIALITY QUESTION WAS RESOLVED TO THEIR LIKING. NOT SEEM TO US A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY OF TAKING THINGS FORWARD, WHEN TIME WAS SO ADVANCED. WE HOPED THAT, EVEN IF THE CONFIDENTIALITY QUESTION REMAINED UNSETTLED, THE EXPERTS COULD ADDRESS THE ON-SITE ISSUES AT THE MEETING WE HAD PROPOSED FOR 17-22 JUNE. CHEN WAS INITIALLY INCLINED TO DEFEND THE GUANGDONG SIDE'S APPROACH BUT FINALLY UNDERTOOK TO CONSIDER OUR SUGGESTION (AND SOUNDED SYMPATHETIC). UNSURPRISINGLY, HE MADE NO COMMITMENT ON DATES (AND INDEED HAD UNDERSTOOD FROM A TELEPHONE MESSAGE FROM GUANGDONG THAT HONG KONG HAD PROPOSED STARTING THE ROUND ON 22 JUNE).

COMMENT

9. WE LEFT THE CHINESE IN NO DOUBT OF OUR CONCERN ABOUT THE POINT WHICH HAS NOW BEEN REACHED. CHEN WAS INCLINED TO RESPOND WITH PLATITUDES AND REPETITIONS. WANG AND ANOTHER STAFF

MEMBER, CHEN JINZHANG, SEEMED MORE DISPOSED TO TRY TO FIND A WAY OUT OF THE IMPASSE. WE CAN GO BACK TO THEM NEXT WEEK (AFTER THE FIFTH ROUND OF TALKS ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS) TO SEE WHETHER THEY HAVE ANYTHING NEW TO SAY, BUT THE PROSPECTS DO NOT LOOK GOOD. AS SEEN FROM HERE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT SEEMS LIKELY

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