XN000022-1986-09-02 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1986

SAFE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION OF N-PLANT ASSURED

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GOVERNOR

THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, RETURNED FROM PEKING THIS (TUESDAY) EVENING WITH ASSURANCES, GIVEN TO HIM AT A VERY SENIOR LEVEL, THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WILL ENSURE THE SAFE CONSTRUCTION AND SAFE OPERATION OF THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR PLANT.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT, HE SAID: +1 CONVEYED TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THE CONCERNS OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ON DAYA BAY. THEY ASSURED ME THAT THEY WERE FULLY ALIVE TO THOSE CONCERNS AND UNDERSTOOD THEM.

+THEY ALSO CONFIRMED THAT IT REMAINED THE INTENTION OF THE CHINESE TO PROCEED WITH THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AT DAYA BAY,

+THEY HAVE TAKEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE ALL POSSIBLE MEASURES TO ENSURE THE SAFE CONSTRUCTION AND SAFE OPERATION OF THE PLANT.

+THEY HAVE NOTED THE REPORT AND THE OBSERVATIONS MADE BY THE LEGCO MISSIONS WHICH VISITED UNITED STATES AND JAPAN AND EUROPE. AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES WILL GIVE VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THOSE OBSERVATIONS.

+AND I BELIEVE IT HAS ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED THAT THE LEGCO MISSIONS HAD BEEN INVITED TO VISIT PEKING FOR THREE DAYS IN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER FOR DISCUSSION ON THAT REPORT AND THE OBSERVATIONS IN THEM.

+NOW AS FAR AS THE WHICH THEY ASKED ABOUT, COMMITMENTS WE HAD MADE

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT POSITION IS CONCERNED, I TOLD THEM THAT WE WOULD STAND BY THE IN RESPECT OF THE PROJECT.

+THEN AS REGARDS THE DATES OF THE SIGNATURE OF THE CONTRACTS, I UNDERSTAND IT IS EXPECTED THAT THESE WILL TAKE PLACE BETWEEN THE 22ND AND THE 24TH OF SEPTEMBER, THAT IS, AFTER THE VISIT OF THE LEGCO MISSIONS AND THAT IS THE SITUATION ON DAYA BAY AS I LEFT PEK ING TODAY.+

ASKED ABOUT THE ASSURANCES GIVEN BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ON THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF THE PLANT, SIR EDWARD SAID: +1 THINK THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT ASSURANCES, THE ONES WHICH THEY DID GIVE ME WHILE I WAS THERE. THEY WERE GIVEN TO ME AT A VERY SENIOR LEVEL. +

ON A SUGGESTION OF A SPECIAL LEGCO MEETING TO DEBATE THE DAYA BAY ISSUE. THE GOVERNOR SAID: I AM WAITING FOR THE OUTCOME OF THE MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS TOMORROW ON THAT ISSUE.+

SIR EDWARD ALSO TOLD REPORTERS THAT HIS VISIT TO PEKING WAS AT THE INVITATION OF THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR, SIR RICHARD EVANS.

/+I HAD