SECRET
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SECRET
FM FCO 19160OZ AUG 82
TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1529 OF 19 AUGUST
GUANGDONG
PA
1. IN VIEW OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA IT IS
BECOMING INCREASINGLY URGENT TO SECURE A REPLY TO OUR REQUEST
FOR AN ASSURANCE ON THE RELEASE OF WESTINGHOUSE TECHNOLOGY.
PLEASE THEREFORE DELIVER THE FOLLOWING PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM
MYSELF TO SHULTZ:
'AS YOU MAY KNOW THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IS
CURRENTLY CONSIDERING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NUCLEAR POWER
STATION IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE. MUCH INTEREST HAS BEEN
EXPRESSED IN A PROPOSAL UNDER WHICH THE BRITISH NATIONAL
NUCLEAR CORPOPATION WOULD BE LICENSED BY WESTINGHOUSE
TO SUPPLY NUCLEAR REACTOR EQUIPMENT WHILE FUEL SERVICES
WOULD BE PROVIDED BY BRITISH NUCLEAR FUELS LIMITED. THE
TOTAL VALUE OF IMPORTED EQUIPMENT FOR THE PROJECT COULD
BE AS MUCH AS US DOLLARS 3000 MILLION OF WHICH ABOUT US DOLLARS 800
MILLION MIGHT COME FROM THE UNITED STATES.
APART FROM THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS WE BELIEVE
THAT THIS PROJECT HAS CONSIDERABLE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL
SIGNIFICANCE. IT WILL REINFORCE THE LINKS CHINA HAS
BEEN DEVELOPING WITH THE WEST AND INDEED TO SOME EXTENT
COMMIT THE CHINESE TO SUCH AN ALIGNMENT. MOREOVER IT
WILL OFFER BENEFITS TO LONG TERM RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA
AND HONG KONG AND IN THE SHORTER TERM TO CONFIDENCE IN
THE TEPRITORY.
ON 14 APRIL THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON WROTE TO THE
STATE DEPARTMENT SEEKING AN ASSURANCE THAT THE US
GOVERNMENT ACTING UNDER THE NUCLEAR NON PROLIFERATION ACT
OR ANY OTHER LEGISLATION WOULD NOT SEEK TO PREVENT
WESTINGHOUSE LICENSING THE NATIONAL NUCLEAR CORPORATION OR
ANY OTHER BRITISH PARTNER TO SUPPLY NUCLEAR REACTOR
EQUIPMENT OF WESTINGHOUSE DESIGN FOR THE GUANGDONG PROJECT
ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE EQUIMPMENT IN QUESTION WILL BE
USED FOR EXCLUSIVELY PEACEFUL PURPOSES AND THAT US ORIGIN
TECHNOLOGY WOULD NOT BE USED OTHER THAN FOR THE GUANGDONG
PROJECT WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF WESTINGHOUSE.
SECRET
/OUR
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