GRS 1275
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3619
CONMDENTIAL
OF 04052OZ NOVEMBER 86
GR COPY DIGT
INFO IMMEDIATE DTI, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, PEKING, PARI'S, INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
RY
-
· 4 NOV 1986
HEGISTRY
Action Taken
FCO PLEASE ALSO PASS TO MR. JOHN YAXLEY C/O HKD
NUCLEAR SAFETY PUBLIC OPINION ON DAYA BAY
662
FURTHER TO OUR TELNO. 3368, THERE WERE MORE SIGNS THAT THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG CONTINUED TO LOSE INTEREST IN THE DAYA BAY PROJECT. EVEN THE LEGCO DEBATE ON 15 OCTOBER (A SUBJECT OF OUR
TELNO. 3416) FAILED TO REVIVE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE DAYA BAY ISSUE, BUT RATHER LED TO A DEBATE ON THE DR. CONRAD LAM'S DISCOURTEOUS REMARKS AND MISS LYDIA DUNN'S REBUKE (PARAS, 2 AND 3). THE MEDIA AWAITED THE RELEASE OF THE REPORT ON THE SAFETY AND TARIFF ARRANGEMENTS AS SOUGHT BY THE LEGCO MOTION (PARAS. 4 AND 5). MEANWHILE, THE NEW LEGCO AD HOC GROUP TO MONITOR THE DAYA BAY
PROJECT MET AND HON. WONG PO-YAN AND HON CHUNG PUI-LAM WERE SELECTED TO BE THE CONVENOR AND VICE-CONVENOR RESPECTIVELY (PARA. 6). SIR GEOFFREY'S VISIT TO CHINA (PAR. 7), THE INSURANCE POLICY IN RESPECT OF THE DAYA BAY PROJECT (PARA. 8) AND THE REMARKS MADE BY THE CHAIRMAN OF GEC (PARA.9) WERE PICKED UP BY THE MEDIA. THE VARIOUS ACTIVITES LAUNCHED BY THE ANTI-NUCLEAR GROUPS RECEIVED MODERATE PRESS COVERAGE (PARAS, 10-11).
2.
THE LEGCO DEBATE ON DAYA BAY WAS THE TALK OF THE TOWN. NEVERTHELESS, THE FOCUS DEFLECTED FROM THE DAYA BAY PROJECT ITSELF TO DR. CONRAD LAM'S DISCOURTEOUS REMARKS AND MISS LYDIA DUNN'S REBUKE. DR. LAM WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ANY INTENTION OF SHOWING DISCOURTESY TO THE GOVERNOR. HE SAID THAT HIS 'SHOE SHINING REMARKS SHOULD BE TAKEN AS A JOKE. MISS DUNN, ON THE OTHER HAND, STRESSED THAT WHETHER IT WAS A JOKE OR NOT, THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGCO SHOULD BE RESPECTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. HER VIEW WAS SHARED BY MANY OF HER LEGCO COLLEAGUES
INCLUDING SOME ELECTED MEMBERS. OUTSIDE LEGCO, VIEWS WERE SPLIT IN THIS CONTOVERSY. IN GENERAL, THE MORE CONSERVATIVE RESPONDENTS GAVE IN THEIR SUPPORT TO MISS DUNN'S REBUKE AND AGREED THAT LEGCO
MEMBERS SHOULD EXERCISE SELF-CONSTRAINT IN THE COUNCIL.
3. CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED BY SOME PAPERS AND THE MORE CONSERVATIVE
GROUPS THAT THERE WERE EMOTIVE WORDS FLOWING AROUND THE LEGCO. THEY BELIEVED THAT THE APPARENT SPLIT AMONG THE LEGCO MEMBERS COULD
UNDERMINE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE COUNCIL. THERE WAS HOWEVER A
GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO CONSIDERED THAT DIFFERENCE OF VIEW IN LEGCO WAS A HEALTHY SIGN AND THAT LEGCO MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID
OF EXPRESSING OPPOSING VIEWS.
ONENTIAL
14.
701