50A
HEL 166/1
VEL
1 SEP 1936
CONFIDENTIAL
COPY
OCMIAN 8961
CONFIDENTIAL
00 PEKIN
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
281645Z AUG
GRS 750
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 29010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1835
OF 281645Z AUGUST 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PARIS, PEKING
MY SECOND IPT: DAYA BAY
58961 - 1
FOLLOWING IS DRAFT LINE MINISTERS MIGHT TAKE WITH EXCO VISITORS.
BEGINS
1.
KNOW THERE IS A NEED FOR SOME ASSURANCE FROM HMG TO HONG
KONG PEOPLE ABOUT DAYA BAY PROJECT.
2.
CANNOT GIVE AN ASSURANCE THAT DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER
STATION WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY SAFE. WOULD NOT BE BELIEVED IF I
DID. NO POWER STATION IS ABSOLUTELY SAFE:
COAL-FIRED STATIONS POLLUTE THE
ATMOSPHERE, WHICH MAY CAUSE DEATHS FROM CANCER, AND CARRY PENALTY
OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, LIKE ANY OTHER INDUSTRY. USELESS TO
DENY SINCE CHERNOBYL THAT ACCIDENTS IN NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS CAN
HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. QUESTION IS WHETHER, TAKING INTO
ACCOUNT THE VERY LOW PROBABILITY OF SUCH ACCIDENTS IF DUE
CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO SAFETY ASPECT IN DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION
AND OPERATION OF NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS, THE RISKS ARE
COMMENSURATE WITH THE UNDOUBTED BENEFITS OF NUCLEAR POWER.
3.
FACT IS THAT MOST ADVANCED COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UK, HAVE DECIDED THAT A SUBSTANTIAL NUCLEAR COMPONENT SHOULD BE
INCLUDED IN THEIR ELECTRICITY GENERATING CAPABILITY. MUST EXPECT
1
CONFIDENTIAL
/CHINA