GRS 450
CONFIDENT-HAL
FM HONG KONG
Confidential
TO DESKBY 2909OOZ FCO
TELNO 2792
OF 290655Z AUGUST 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PARIS, PEKING
85
MIPT: DAYA BAY : EXCO VISHT TO LONDON.
TOP COPY Q DIST 7
HRK 026/5
REC
15 SEP 1986
-1780円
FOLLOWING IS SUGGESTED REVISED TEXT OF LINE FOR UK MINISTERS TO
TAKE WITH EXCO VISTORS.
1. WE APPRECIATE THAT EXCO AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE LOOKING TO HMG FOR ASSURANCES ABOUT THE DAYA BAY PROJECT.
2. AS PART OF ITS OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HONG KONG THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT READILY ACCEPTS HITS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL ASPECTS OF
THE SAFETY OF THE POPULATION.
3. IN ACCEPTING THIS SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT NOTES THAT THE CHINESE HAVE OPTED NOT ONLY FOR FRENCH REACTORS BUT ALSO FOR FRENCH EXPERTISE IN A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES ASSOCHATED WITH THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PROJECT. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THAT THE FRENCH HAVE A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL RECORD IN DESIGNING AND BUILDING NUCLEAR REACTORS AND
AN UNCHALLENGEABLE SAFETY RECORD.
4. THEREFORE WE HAVE NO REASON WHATSOEVER TO DOUBT THAT THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT WILL BE TO A FULLY ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF SAFETY. HAD WE SEEN ANY REASON TO DOUBT THIS IN THE COURSE OF OUR EXCHANGES WITH THE FRENCH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS WE WOULD NATURALLY HAVE TAKEN THE MATTER UP WITH THEM ON OUR OWN BEHALF AND THAT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
5. AS REGARDS THE OPERATION OF THE STATION, ALTHOUGH NOT ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MONITORING, INSPECTION AND REGULATION AT BOTH UTILITY AND NATIONAL LEVEL ARE YET IN PLACE, CAN SAY THAT ON THE BASIS OF THE EXCHANGES WE HAVE HAD WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES SO FAR, THE STEPS THEY HAVE TAKEN AND THE ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY HAVE MADE, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE TOO WILL BE SATISFACTORY.
6. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS FOLLOWED THE NUCLEAR DEBATE IN HONG KONG OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, IN PARTICULAR SINCE CHERNOBYL IN GREAT DETAIL. MINISTERS HAVE BEEN KEPT CLOSELY INFORMED. ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS BEGINNING WITH THE VISIT OF HU YAOBANG TO THE UNITED KINGDOM IN JUNE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS STRESSED TO THE
Confidential
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