CONFIDENTIAL
11. THERE WERE QUITE A NUMBER OF CNS REPORTS ON NUCLEAR SAFETY
AND MATTERS RELATING TO DAYA BAY. THESE REPORTS GAVE PROMINENT
COVERAGE TO THE VISHT BY THE 12 MEMBERS OF THE JOINT CONFERENCE
OR SHELVING THE DAYA BAY PLANT. THE REPORTS HIGHLIGHTED THAT
CHINA WAS NOT PLEASED WITH SOME INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS MADE BY
THE HONG KONG DELEGATION, THAT THE DELEGATION WAS LATE FOR AN APPOINTMENT, THAT THE DELEGATION SPENT A LOT OF TIME ARGUING FOR MEETINGS WITH SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS, AND THAT SOME DELEGATES SHOWED IMPAT:PENCE DURING THEIR MEETINGS WITH CHINESE EXPERTS. THIS APPARENTLY INDICATED THAT CHINA WAS PREPARED TO TAKE A HARD STAND TOWARDS THE ANTDAYA BAY LOBBY. NEVERTHELESS, THERE WERE SOME CLEAR INDICATIONS THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES DID WISH TO IMPRESS THE HONG KONG PEOPLE THAT THEY COULD TOLERATE DISSENTING
WIEWS AND HAD TREATED THE ANTI-DAYA BAY LOBBY APPROPRIATELY. IN THIS CONNECTION, A CNS REPORT POINTED OUT THAT THE JOINT CONFERENCE DELEGATION CONCLUDED THEIR VISIT IN A HAPPY AND
HARMONIOUS ATMOSPHERE AND THERE WERE TOASTS TO EACH OTHER AT A
FAREWELL DINNER. THERE WERE SIGNS THAT CHINA WOULD CONTINUE WITH
THE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN HIN HONG KONG. AS MENTIONED IN OUR
TELNO 2727, A CNS ROUNDUP REPORT ON 21 AUGUST CONCLUDED THAT HONG
KONG PUBLIC'S FEAR OF NUCLEAR ENERGY WAS DISSIPATING AFTER THE
HONG KONG PEOPLE HAD GAINED MORE RATIONAL UNDERSTANDING ON SAFETY
ASPECTS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY AND THE DAYA BAY PLANT THROUGH
INVESTIGATRONS AND SEMINARS HELD IN RECENT MONTHS. THE REPORT
ALSO PROMISED FURTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY THE CHINESE SIDE
INCLUDING SEMINARS, EXHIBITIONS AND VISITS TO DAYA BAY. IN A FURTHER ATTEMPT TO REASSURE THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, A CNS REPORT
SUGGESTED THAT THE FINDINGS OF THE UMELCO DELEGATIONS SHOULD BE
SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND THOSE CONCERNED
IN CHINA. THE CHINESE OFFICIALS ALSO TOLD A 30-MEMBER DELEGAT-HON
OF LOCAL POLITICIANS TO PEKING THAT CHINA WAS CONSIDERING THE
QUESTION OF SETTING UP AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH WOULD INCLUDE
HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO MONITOR THE OPERATION OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT.
12. WE ARE ARRANGING FOR A SUMMARY OF MEDIA REPORTS COVERING THE
PERIOD BETWEEN 14 AND 20 AUGUST TO BE FAXED TO YOU AND PARIS.
THE DISTRICT OFFICERS' WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORTS FOR THE SAME
PERHOD WILL BE SENT TO YOU, PEKING AND PARIS BY BAG.
YOU DE HML NAN
1099
GUANGDONG
LIMITED
HKD
FED
NED
TRED
PUSD(MR CROWLEY) WED
[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING STREET]
PS
PS/MR RENTON PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR DAUNT
MR WILSON MR SLATER
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
GUANGDONG NUCLEAR
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CONFIDENTIAL