XN000022-1986-07-16 — Page 34

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986

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CALM APPROACH TO DAYA BAY ISSUE ADVOCATED

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MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD KEEP CALM OVER THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ISSUE.

THE APPEAL WAS MADE BY DR THE HON DANIEL TSE DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

JUDGING FROM THE PRESENT TREND, DR TSE BELIEVED THE ISSUE HAD ALREADY CHANGED FROM CONSIDERATIONS OF TECHNOLOGICAL SAFETY AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS TO A POLITICAL MOVEMENT AGAINST NUCLEAR POWER.

HE FELT THAT IT WAS THE DUTY OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE SITUATION AND RELEVANT INFORMATION AND THEN REPORT AND ANALYSE WITH A CALM AND CANDID APPROACH SO THAT THE PUBLIC COULD CALM DOWN AND RESPOND TO THE MATTER IN A REASONABLE WAY.

HE SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE SERIOUS STUDIES INTO THE TESTS AND DATA WITH WHICH THE MANUFACTURER PROVED THAT HIS PRODUCT WOULD MEET THE STANDARDS SET BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

WE MUST ALSO ENSURE THAT THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED WOULD GUARANTEE THAT ALL CONSTRUCTION WORK OF THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AND ITS SUBSEQUENT MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING SYSTEM WOULD FULFIL THE REQUIREMENTS LAID DOWN IN THE PLANT'S PERMIT AT ANY ONE TIME.

DR TSE SAID IT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD GREATER WORRIES OVER THE RISK FACTOR OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AFTER THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT,

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO COMPARE THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WITH THE ONE IN CHERNOBYL BECAUSE THE FORMER WOULD ADOPT A DESIGN WHICH HAD BEEN INTERNATIONALLY USED ON AN EXTENSIVE BASIS, WHILE THE LATTER HAD USED THE MOST OUT-DATED EQUIPMENT IN USSR AND ITS SAFETY STANDARDS AND OPERATION WERE SELDOM REVEALED TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

DR TSE ALSO EXPRESSED HIS WELCOME TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S DECISION TO SEND TWO FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS TO EUROPE AND USA IN AUGUST.

IN ORDER TO SET THE PUBLIC'S MINDS AT EASE AND TO BOOST THEIR CONFIDENCE, HE CALLED ON THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED TO DELAY THE SIGNING OF ANY CONTRACT THAT WOULD LEAVE HONG KONG PEOPLE WITHOUT ANY CHOICE BEFORE THE DELEGATIONS COMPLETED THEIR INVESTIGATION REPORT.

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