CONFIDENTIAL
OCMIAN 7491
CONFIDENTIAL
PP WASHI
FM FCOLN TO WASHI
201500Z AUG
GRS 261
Fikk 166/1
ว
2 1800 1985
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
TELNO 1471
OF 201500Z AUGUST 86
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
473
TOP COPY
57491
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NUCLEAR SAFETY
1.
YOU MAY BE AWARE ABOUT CURRENT CONCERN IN HONG KONG OVER
THE SAFETY OF A NUCLEAR POWER STATION SOON TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN
CHINA CLOSE TO THE HONG KONG BORDER. AS A RESULT OF THIS
CONCERN, STUDY GROUPS COMPRISING MEMBERS OF THE TERRITORY'S
EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS HAVE IN THE PAST MONTH VISITED
SEVERAL WESTERN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE US, TO TALK TO PRO AND
ANTI-NUCLEAR GROUPS AND VISIT PLANTS IN ORDER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
THE RISKS OF NUCLEAR POWER. THE GROUPS ARE NOW BACK IN HONG KONG
PREPARING THEIR REPORTS FOR PUBLICATION.
2°
ONE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, MARTIN LEE QC, WHO VISITED
THE US PRIVATELY AND SEPARATELY, HAS ALLEGED THAT FROM
CONVERSATIONS HE HAS HAD WITH VARIOUS UNIDENTIFIED GROUPS IN THE
UNITED STATES IT APPEARED THAT THE US AUTHORITIES WERE QUOTE
THINKING UNQUOTE OF EXTENDING THE EXCLUSION ZONES AROUND FUTURE
NUCLEAR STATIONS FROM 10 MILES TO 30 MILES. THE REASON FOR THIS
WAS THAT AFTER CHERNOBYL IT WAS FELT THAT PREVIOUS EXCLUSION
ZONES WERE TOO SMALL.
THE FORTHCOMING PUBLIC DEBATE ON THE VARIOUS STUDY GROUP
REPORTS MAY WELL FOCUS ON THIS POINT, WHICH WILL BE A SENSITIVE
3.
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