XN000022-1974-11-23 — Page 2

SATURDAY, NOVENDER 23, 1974.

KOBSON LEAVES FOR SUUTII KOMILLA

FOR TALKS ON NUCLEAR POLER GENERATION

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, HR. JAMES ROBSON, LEFT HONG KONG THIS MORNING FOR SOUTH KOREA WHERE HE WILL HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION,

MR. KOBSON'S FOUR-DAY VISIT 13 AT THE INVITATION OF THE KOREA ELECTRIC COMPANY WHICH IS IN THE PROCESS OF INSTALLING TWO NUCLEAR PLANTS FOR THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY AND PLANS TO HAVE- A THIRD.

THE FIRST STAGE OF THE TRIP WILL BE TAKEN UP WITH AN INSPECTION OF THE KOREAN ELECTRIC COMPANY SITE AT KORI WHERE THE NUCLEAR PLANTS ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED.

MR. ROBSON WILL RETURN TO SEOUL ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND HOPES TO SPEND THE NEXT TWO DAYS DISCUSSING WITH KOREAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THE PLANNING AND LEGISLATION WHICH WAS NEEDED FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF NUCLEAR POWER.

BEFORE LEAVING HONG KONG, MR. ROBSON SAID THE VISIT WOULD BE EXTREMELY USEFUL AS SOUTH KOREA WAS IN MUCH THE SAME POSITION AS HONG KONG, BOTH ARE DEVELOPING REGIONS WITH NO +MASSIVE TECHNICAL BACK UP+ AND BOTH WOULD ENCOUNTER THE SAME PROBLEMS OF INTRODUCING, MANNING AND OPERATING A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

AT PRESENT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF SITING A NUCLEAR POWER STATION IN HONG KONG PROVIDED IT IS ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE.

ALSO MAKING THE TRIP WITH MR. ROBSON ARE THE DIRECTOR OF BRITAIN'S GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, MR. HARRY JACKSON, AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GEC HONG KONG, MR, JOHN WEEDON. GEC IS SUPPLYING THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE PLANT AND EQUIPMENT FOR ONE STATION AND HOPES TO DO THE SAME FOR THE THIRD.

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