TNAG-1446-FCO40-1930-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 76

Confidential

3. GIVEN, HOWEVER, THE ANXIETIES FELT WORLD-WIDE AS A RESULT OF THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER IT WAS IN NO WAY SURPRISING THAT DEEP AND GENUINE CONCERN SHOULD ALSO BE EXPRESSED IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PLANT AT DAYA BAY. THIS CONCERN WAS CONVEYED BOTH TO THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS. FOR THEIR PART THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, IN CONFIRMING THEIR INTENTION TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT, MADE CLEAR THEIR DETERMINATION THAT THE PLANT SHOULD PE CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED TO THE HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL SAFETY STAN- DARDS. DURING THE RECENT VISIT OF MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TO LONDON THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS FULLY AWARE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE WELFARE AND WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND HAD STRESSED THESE CONCERNS TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IN THE LIGHT OF ITS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE OTHER GOVERN- MENTS CONCERNED, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS CONFIDENT THAT EVERY EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PLANT WOULD BE CARRIED OUT TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SAFETY STANDARDS.

THE

THE POSITION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND ITS STATUS 'N THESE MATTERS WAS SET OUT BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY IN HIS STATEMENT TO THIS COUNCIL DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON 16 JULY. THERE WILL BE A FURTHER DEBATE SHORTLY IN THIS COUNCIL AND DO NOT PROPOSE TO SEEK TO PRE-EMPT HT THIS AFTERNOON. GOVERNMENT WILL BE MAKING A FURTHER STATEMENT IN THAT DEBATE. * WOULD, HOWEVER, WISH THIS AFTERNOON TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE WORK DONE BY THE MISSIONS OF MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL TO THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN, AND TO EUROPE, AND DURING THEIR SUBSEQUENT VISIT TO PEKING TO DISCUSS THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THE ISSUE OF CIVIL NUCLEAR POWER IS ONE ON WHICH THERE ARE DIFFERENT VIEWS DEEPLY AND SINCERELY HELD. THIS HAS LED TO AN INTENSITY OF DEBATE FOR WHICH THERE HAVE BEEN FEW PRECEDENTS IN HONG KONG. IN THE FACE OF THAT DEBATE THEIR TASK HAS NOT BEEN AN EASY ONE.

ENDS

YOUDE

YYYY

HMLNAN 2652

GUANGDONG

LIMITED

HKD

FED

NED

TRED

PUSD(MR CROWLEY)

WED

[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING STREET)

P6

PS/MR REN TON PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR DAUNT

MR WILSON

SLATER

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

GUANGDONG NUCLEAR

Confidential