GRS 1600 CONFIDENT FAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2709
OF 21025OZ AUGUST 96
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, PARIS, DTI, DEPT OF ENERGY
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
Alle 166//
RECEIVED M
INDEX
FURTHER TO OUR TELNO 2622, THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT STAYED IN FOCUS DURING THE WEEK ENDING 18 AUGUST. THE MAJOR
DEVELOPMENTS ARE DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 2 TO 8 BELOW
468
21 AUG 1985
2. THE JOINT CONFERENCE FOR SHELVING THE DAYA BAY PLANT'
LAUNCHED A NEW ROUND OF ACTIVITIES WHICH WERE PROMINENTLY COVERED
BY THE MEDIA. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE JOINT CONFERENCE CONDEMNED THE
LEGCO OVERSEAS VISITS AS ''PROPAGANDA TOURS''. THEY NEVERTHELESS
STRESSED TO UMELCO SHOULD SPEED UP THE COMPILATION OF THEIR REPORT
SO THAT IT COULD BE PUBLISHED WELL IN ADVANCE BEFORE THE SIGNING OF
CONTRACTS IN SEPTEMBER. SEPARATELY, THE JOINT CONFERENCE CALLED ON
SES AND FS ON 12 AND 13 AUGUST RESPECTIVELY TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERN.
THEY PETITIONED TO THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE ON 14 AUGUST AND LODGED
ANOTHER PETITION TO CLP ON THE SAME DAY. MR. STONES, DIRECTOR OF
HKNIC, MET THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JOINT CONFERENCE ON 16 AUGUST. DURING THE MEETING, MR. STONES REAFFIRMED THAT CLP WOULD NOT PULL
OUT OF THE DAYA BAY PROJECT AND THAT ALL CONTRACTS WOULD BE SIGNED
IN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER AND WOULD BE APPROVED BY THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT IN EARLY OCTOBER.
3. THE MEDIA EXTENSIVELY REPORTED THAT 12 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
JOINT CONFERENCE, ARMED WITH A PETITION SIGNED BY 1.04 MILLION RESIDENTS IN HONG KONG, LEFT FOR PEKING ON 17 AUGUST FOR A 4-DAY
VISIT IN PEKING. THE JOINT CONFERENCE HAD REQUESTED TO MEET PREMIER
ZHAO ZIYANG, MR. JI PENGFEI (HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE)
AND MR. JIANG SHENGJIE (CHINESE NATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY ADMINISTRA-
TION). DURING THEIR FIRST FULL DAY IN CHINA ON 18 AUGUST, THE 12 REPRESENTATIVES WERE RECEIVED BY A PEKING DELEGATION COMPRISING
MR. MA FUBANG, HEAD OF THE NUCLEAR ENERGY BUREAU, MR. RONG KONG,
HEAD OF THE SECOND DEPARTMENT OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU OFFICE
AND OTHER NUCLEAR EXPERTS. THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE JOINT CONFERENCE, MR. FUNG CHI-WOOD, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH
THE SUPERFICIAL ANSWERS GIVEN BY THE CHINESE OFFICIALS. HE
REITERATED THAT THE JOINT CONFERENCE SHOULD BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO
MEET HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS IN THE STATE COUNCIL INCLUDING PREMIER
ZHAO ZIYANG AND MR. JI PENGFE. IT WAS NOATED THAT CHINA HAD INVITED
THE HONG KONG DELEGATION TO VISIT THE CHINESE ACADEMY OF ATOMIC
ENERGY SCIENCE AND THE NUCLEAR LABORATORY OF THE QING HUA UNIVERSITY.
ARRANGEMENTS HAD ALSO BEEN MADE FOR THEM TO MEET OFFICIALS OF THE
NUCLEAR SAFETY BUREAU, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION BUREAU AND
OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE STATE COUNCIL. THE REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE JOINT CONFERENCE HOWEVER INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BOYCOTT THE
SCHEDULE UNLESS THE IR DEMAND TO MEET PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG WAS
ENTERTAINED.
CONFIDENTIAL
14