GRS 1600
CONFIDENT PAL
FM HONG KONG
TO HIMEDIATE FOO
TELNO 3200
Confidential
OF 0207302 OCTOBER 36
160/1
3 OCT 1986
INFO IMMEDIATE DTH, DEPT OF ENERGY, HKGO LONDON
PEKING, PARIS
I
から
638
NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA
(634
FURTHER TO OUR TELNO. 3077. THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT STILL ATTRACTED MEDIA ATTENTION DURING THE PERIOD PETWEEN 23 AND
30 SEPTEMBER ALTHOUGH THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THIS SUBJECT CONTINUED
TO DECLINE. THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS ARE NOW SUMMARISED IN PARAGRAPHS
2 TO 9 BELOW.
2.
THE SIGNING OF THE FOUR MAIN CONTRACTS AND THREE LOAN AGREEMENTS
IN THE AFTERNOON OF 23 SEPTEMBER AT THE GREAT HALL OF PEOPLE IN
PEKING WAS THE FOCUS OF PRESS ATTENTION. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE
CHINESE PREMIER, MR. ZHAO ZIYANG, HAD A MEETING WITH LEADING MEMBERS
OF THE THREE COMPANIES AND EIGHT BANKS WHO WERE IN PEKING TO ATTEND
THE SIGNING CEREMONY. MR, ZHAO SAID THAT CHINA ACCEPTED THAT IT
SHOULD PAY STILL GREATER ATTENTION TO THE SAFETY OF THE NUCLEAR
POWER PLANTS AFTER THE CHERNOBYL INCIDENT BUT THE CHERNOBYL WOULD
NOT CHANGE ITS ATTITUDE TOWARDS DEVELOPING THE NUCLEAR POWER
INDUSTRY. THE MEDIA EXTENSIVELY REPORTED THAT THE SIGNING CEREMONY
WAS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT ATTENDED BY DIPLOMATS AND HIGH-RANKING
CHINESE OFFICIALS INCLUDING VICE PREMIER, MR. LI PENG. THE CONTRACTS VALUED AT ABOUT US DOLLARS 1.8 BILLION AND GEC'S CONTRACT
IN RESPECT OF SUPPLY OF TURBINE GENERATORS ALONE WAS A DEAL OF
POUNDS 250 MILLION. THE CONTRACTS WOULD BE EXPECT TO PE APPROVED
BY THE STATE COUNCIL BEFORE 7 OCTOBER. PT WAS UNLIKELY THAT THE
CONTRACTS WOULD BE CANCELLED LATER AS THE CANCELLATION FEES WOULD
BE VERY SUBSTANTIAL. THE LOCAL PRESS ALSO GAVE MODERATE COVEPAGE
TO THE PRESS INTERVIEW WITH SIP RICHARD EVANS IN PEKING AFTER THE
SIGNING OF CONTRACTS.
3.
THE LEGCO MEMBERS WERE BRIEFED ON THE VISIT TO BEIJING BY THE
FACT-FINDING DELEGATION DURING THE IN-HOUSE MEETING HELD IN THE
AFTERNOON OF 27 SEPTEMBER. THE PROPOSAL FOR DEBATING DAYA BAY
IN LEGCO WAS DISCUSSED AND AGREED. DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE
AFTER THE PW-HOUSE MEETING, THE SENIOR LEGCO UNOFFICAL, MISS
LYDIA DUNN, ANNOUNCED THAT THE LEGCO COUNCILLORS AGREED UNANIMOUSLY
TO A MOTION FOR 15 OCTOBER CALLING THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE
DETAILS OF THE ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING SAFETY AND TARIFF FOR THE
PURCHASE OF ELECTRICITY FROM THE DAY BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
TOGETHER WITH SUCH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WITHOUT PREACHING COMM-
ERCHIAL CONFIDENTIALITY, IT WAS NOTED THAT HON. MARTIN LEE
ORIGINALLY PROPOSED A STRONG WORDED MOTION URGING FOR DISCLOSURE
OF ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO BE PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNMENT
BUT THIS WAS REJECTED BY SOME MEMBERS ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT
Confidential
/MIGHT