GRS 400
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO MMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1973
OF 251025Z JUNE 86
INFO (IMMED MATE PEKING
SECRET
18
MY TELNO 1936: NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA
1. ## UNDERSTAND THAT DURING HU YAOBANG'S WISIT TO THE UK, MINISTERS, WHILE STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF REASSURING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WELCOMED THE CHINESE DECISION TO CONTINUE WHTH THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION. H CAN UNDERSTAND THE COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL REASONS FOR THIS AND ALSO HMG'S WISH NOT TO THROW DOUBT ON THE VRABILITY AND SAFETY OF CIVIL NUCLEAR PROGRAMMES. # HOPE THAT THE PROPOSALS HAVE MADE WILL BE ACCEPTED AS EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO REASSURE HONG KONG. BUT I MUST NOW FORMALLY RECORD MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT THAT REASSURANCE ON SAFETY STANDARDS, CONTINGENCY PLANS ETC. WELL NOT BE ENOUGH TO ALLAY PUBLIC FEARS: THAT EN CONSEQUENCE THERE WILL IN THE SHORT TERM BE A PRICE
TO PAY FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROJECT IN TERMS OF CONFIDENCE
AMONG THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG: THAT TIPS PRICE WILL BE
SUBSTANTIALLY RAINSED DURING THE 1990S WHEN THE STATION IPS
COMMISSIONED: AND THAT BOTH BRIHTINSH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS MUST
NOW TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT.
2. !D ACCEPT THAT THE FUTURE OF THE STATION IS A MATTER FOR THE
GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED, AND IN PARTICULAR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. * ALSO ACCEPT THAT EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE
STATION IS CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE
STANDARDS. INT AS NOT POSSIBLE, HOWEVER, TO GIVE A GUARANTEE THAT NO ACCIDENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT DAYA BAY, AND FROM NOW ON EVERY
ANGIDENT AT ANY NUCLEAR PLANT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WILL INCREASE
THE OPPOSITION IN HONG KONG TO THE PROJECT. IF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT
WERE TO OCCUR AT A PWR STATION, PARTICULARLY A FRENCH ONE, THE
OPPOSITION COULD BECOME UNCONTAINABLE.
3. › THEREFORE BELIEVE THAT THE SITUATION HAS NOW DEVELOPED TO
THE POINT WHERE, IN FOLLOWING UP LI PENG'S PROPOSALS FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS (YOUR TELNO 1124 REFERS), HMG SHOULD
CONSIDER WHETHER TO CONVEY THIS ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVELY TO THE
CHINESE. THEY WILL CERTAINLY BE GETTING THE SAME STRONG MESSAGE
INFORMALLY FROM OTHER SOURCES. MINISTERS WILL NO DOUBT ALSO WISH
TO CONSIDER WHETHER THEY SHOULD GO FURTHER AND POINT OUT THE
POLITICAL BENEFITS THAT COULD BE OBTAINED IN HONG KONG #F THE
CHINESE WERE TO DECIDE NOW TO MOVE THE PROJECT FROM DAYA BAY OR
TO CONVERT IT TO A THERMAL STATION (MY TELNO 1726 REFERS).
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14.