GRS 750
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2907
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درك
CONFIDENTIAL
MKK 166/1
TOP COPY O DIST ?
OF 080745Z SEPTEMBER 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, PARIS
DAYA BAY LOCAL FEEDBACK
518
DM
AS PROMISED IN PARA. 7 OF OUR TELNO 2824, WE ARE ARRANGING FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICERS' WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORTS COVERING THE PERHOD BETWEEN 28 AUGUST AND 3 SEPTEMBER TO BE SENT TO YOU, PARIS AND PEKING BY BAG. THESE REPORTS CONTAINED THE LOCAL FEEDBACK ON THE LEGCO FACT-FINDING REPORT RELEASED ON 30 AUGUST (OUR TELNO 2824) AND THE DECISIONS MADE AT THE LEGCO N-HOUSE MEETING ON 3 SEPTEMBER (OUR TELNO 2867). 5360
2. ON THE LEGCO REPORT, IT WAS NOTICED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD NOT READ THE REPORT AND BASED THEIR COMMENTS ON THE SUMMARIES PRINTED IN THE NEWSPAPERS. THE REACTIONS WERE MIXED. SOME RESPONDENTS ACCEPTED THAT THE DAY BAY PROJECT WAS A FANT ACCOMPL. THEY ACCORDINGLY AGREED THAT THE LEGCO REPORT SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON WAYS AND MEANS TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT, RATHER THAN RE-OPENING THE DEBATE AS TO WHETHER THE PROJECT SHOULD BE CONSTRUCTED. THEY ENDORSED THE VIEW OF THE LEGCO DELEGATIONS THAT A MONITOR.ING BODY WITH HK PARTICIPATION SHOULD BE SET UP AND THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE CRITICS SAND THAT THE REPORT SHOULD NOT HAVE PRE-ASSUMED THAT THE DAYA BAY PLANT WOULD PROCEED. THEY REGRETTED THAT THE REPORT DID NOT SET OUT THE ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS AND THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AMONG THE LEGCO DELEGATES TO MAKE TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS. THE LECGO REPORT WAS TAKEN AS A PR PAPER TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC THAT EXCO HAD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION IN GRANTING SUPPORT TO THE DAYA BAY PROJECT.
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3. VIEWS WERE SPLIT AS TO WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A SECOND LEGCO DEBATE ON THE DAYA BAY ISSUE. THE TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY LEADERS ENDORSED THE DECISION MADE AT THE LEGCO IN-HOUSE MEETING ON 3 SEPTEMBER THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE A SECOND DEBATE. THEY TOOK THE POINT THAT CHINA WAS DETERMINED TO BUILD THE PLANT AND THAT A LEGCO DEBATE AT THIS STAGE MIGHT RATE CHINA AND DAMAGE THE FUTURE SINO-HK RELATIONSHIP. THEY ALSO ACCUSED MR. MARTINE LEE AND HIS SUPPORTERS FOR STURRING UP THE MATTER IN ORDER TO MAKE POLITICAL CAPITAL OUT OF THE AFFAIR. TAKING A DIFFERENT VIEW, THE PRESSURE GROUP RESPONDENTS INSISTED THAT LEGCO HAD FAILED TO FULFILL ITS OBLIGATIONS TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BY REJECTING A SPECIAL DEBATE ON THE UNPOPULAR DAYA BAY PROJECT. NEVERTHELESS, SOME PRESSURE GROUP LEADERS PRIVATELY ADMITTED THAT MR. MARTHIN LEE HAD OVERDONE
CONFIDENTIAL
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