GRS 400
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO MMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1973
OF 251025Z JUNE 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
SECRET
MY TELNO 1936: NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA
1. # UNDERSTAND THAT DURING HU YAOBANG'S WISHIT TO THE UK, MHANNISTERS, WHILE STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF REASSURING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WELCOMED THE CHINESE DECISION TO CONTINUE WITH THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION. * CAN UNDERSTAND THE COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL REASONS FOR THIS AND ALSO HMG'S WISH NOT TO THROW DOUBT ON THE WRABILINTY AND SAFETY OF CHWIL NUCLEAR PROGRAMMES. # HOPE THAT THE PROPOSALS HAVE MADE WILL BE ACCEPTED AS EWIDENCE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO REASSURE HONG KONG, BUT HI MUST NOW FORMALLY RECORD MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT THAT REASSURANCE ON SAFETY STANDARDS, CONTINGENCY PLANS ETC. WALL NOT BE ENOUGH TO ALLAY PUBLAC FEARS: THAT IN CONSEQUENCE THERE WILL IN THE SHORT TERM BE A PRICE TO PAY FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROJECT #N TERMS OF CONFIDENCE AMONG THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONGỶ THAT THIPS PRICE WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY RANSED DURING THE 1990S WHEN THE STATION IS COMMISSIONED: AND THAT BOTH BRIT;MSH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS MUST NOW TAKE THIS ANTO-ACCOUNT. -
2. ACCEPT THAT THE FUTURE OF THE STATIONS 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 HS CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE STANDARDS. NTS NOT POSSIBLE, HOWEVER, TO GIVE A GUARANTEE THAT NO ACCIDENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT DAYA BAY, AND FROM NOW ON EVERY INGIDENT 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 OPPOSIMTIHON COULD BECOME UNCONTAINABLE.
3. IN 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 OBJECTAMELY 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 OF THE CHINESE WERE TO DECIDE NOW TO MOVE THE PROJECT FROM DAYA BAY OR TO CONVERT 41T TO A THERMAL STATION (MY TELNO 1726 REFERS).
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