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4. SIR, THIS ADJOURNMENT DEBATE IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE MOST APPROPRIATE METHOD OF VOICING CONCERN OVER THIS MATTER, WHICH IS OF SUCH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAVE SPOKEN WITH COURAGE AND SINCERITY. MANY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUES. IN ANSWERING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION I PROPOSE TO GIVE A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE BACKGROUND AND EXPLAIN THE GOVERNMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROJECT AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARTIES. THIS I MUST DO BECAUSE I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY COMMENTATORS HAVE EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE VARIOUS STEPS WHICH ARE NOT IN OUR POWER TO TAKE. IT IS IMPORTANT, SIR, THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO. TO URGE THAT AS A GOVERNMENT WE ADOPT A PARTICULAR COURSE OF ACTION THAT IS NOT TRULY OPEN TO US IS UNPRODUCTIVE, TO SAY THE LEAST.
WHAT WE MUST DO AT THIS STAGE IS TO CONCENTRATE ON THAT WHICH IS
MEANINGFUL AND LIKELY TO BRING ABOUT THE RESULTS THAT WE WISH TO ATTAIN. THOSE PESULTS MUST, OF COURSE, BE AFFECTED BY THE REALITIES OF THE SITUATION. AT THE END OF THE DAY THE DECISION TO BUILD THIS POWER STATION IS NOT ONE FOR HONG KONG TO TAKE.
5. THE DAYA BAY PROJECT ORGINATED IN A JOINT FEASIBILITY STUDY CARRIED OUT BY THE GUANGDONG POWER COMPANY AND CHINA LIGHT AND POWER CO. LTD. ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED, CHINA LIGHT AND POWER HAD ASKED WHETHER THERE WAS ANY OBJECTION TO THEIR ENTERING INTO THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY BACK IN 1979. IT WAS DECIDED THAT THERE WAS NO OBJECTION. THE DECISION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT ITSELF DEPENDED, OF COURSE, ON THE OUTCOME OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
6. WHEN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT IT WAS CLEAR THAT A VERY THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE PROJECT INCLU- DING THE SUITABILITY OF VARIOUS SITES HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT. AS TO THE SITE ITSELF, THE STUDY TEAM WAS ASSISTED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY AND THE CENTRAL ELECTRICITY GENERATING BOARD OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. IT WAS ONLY AFTER A CLOSE AND DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE GEOLOGICAL, SEISMIC AND METEROLOGICAL ASPECTS HAD BEEN CARRIED THAT THE PRESENT SITE AT DAYA BAY WAS CHOSEN. I MIGHT ADD THAT THE STUDY WAS GUIDED BY SITE SELECTION STANDARDS USED BY THE UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION.
7. THE DISTANCE OF THE SITE FROM HONG KONG IS, OF COURSE, OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF SAFETY. DISTANCE IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE IN THE EVENT OF ANY ACCIDENT OR MISHAP. MUCH HAS BEEN SAID REGARDING THE CLOSENESS OF DAY BAY TO HONG KONG. IN ACCEPTING THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND ULTIMATELY IN AGREEING TO THE HONG KONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT CO. ENTERING INTO THE JOINT VENTURE, WE TOOK ACCOUNT OF INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS IN RELATION TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN A POWER STATION AND LARGE CENTRES OF POPULATION. COMPARED WITH MANY POWER STATIONS, DAYA BAY IS NOT CLOSE TO HONG KONG. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A NUCLEAR POWER STATION
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