TNAG-1469-FCO40-1998-Visits-by-members-of-the-Office-of-the-Unofficial-Members-of-1986 — Page 14

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THE LEGCO GROUP'S 23 POINT REPORT WAS POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE. THE

CHINESE EXPERTS WERE STUDYING IT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD

''DO ITS UTMOST TO ADOPT THE OPINIONS, AS LONG AS THEY WERE

CONDUCIVE TO THE SAFETY OF THE NUCLEAR POWER STATION AND TECHNICALLY

AND ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE.'' HE SAID THAT SAFETY COULD BE ENSURED

FOR THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION. TAM AND LEE WERE QUOTED AS

SAYING AFTER THE DISCUSSION THAT ''THE MAINLAND SIDE POSSESSED

ENOUGH DATA ABOUT THE PLANT AND WERE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE

CONCERNS OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS''. THEY BELIEVED THAT THE MAINLAND

WOULD WORK OUT A SATISFACTORY PLAN FOR SAFETY AT THE PLANT. ZHOU

PING AND LI HOU CO-HOSTED A BANQUET FOR THE GROUP ON 19 SEPTEMBER.

4. THE MISSION HELD TALKS ON 18 AND 19 SEPTEMBER WITH RELEVANT

DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND THE

NATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. MARIA TAM SAID THE GROUP HAD

GAINED SOME IDEA OF CHINA'S NUCLEAR POWER AND ATOMIC ENERGY

DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THESE TALKS. SHE BELIEVED THE PLEDGE MADE BY

CHINESE DEPARTMENT CONCERNED WOULD STRENGTHEN THE CONFIDENCE OF THE

HONG KONG PEOPLE.

5. THE GROUP'S MEETING WITH VICE PREMIER LI PENG ON 20 SEPTEMBER WAS

ALSO WELL REPORTED. LI SAID THAT IT WAS A COMMON WISH OF THE

MAINLAND AND HONG KONG PEOPLE TO MAKE DAYA BAY SAFE: ''THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT PLACES ITS CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE IN.

GUANGDONG PROVINCE AND THAT FOR THE SAFETY OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS AT

A LEVEL OF THE SAME IMPORTANCE.'' HE STRESSED THAT CHINA ATTACHED

GREAT IMPORTANCE TO KEEPING ITS WORD AND ABIDING BY CONTRACTS. THE

PROJECT WOULD PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE IN DEVELOPING GUANGDONG'S ENERGY

AND MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. HE SAID HE

UNDERSTOOD WORRIES OF THE HONG KONG PUBLIC AFTER THE CHERNOBYL

INCIDENT. BUT BELIEVED THESE WORRIES WOULD PROGRESSIVELY DIMINISH.

ALLEN LEE RAISED THE SUBJECT OF A PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A

NON-GOVERNMENTAL NUCLEAR POWER SAFETY ADVISORY GROUP WITH THE

PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. LI RESPONDED 'WE HOLD A POSITIVE

ATTITUDE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH A GROUP. LI SAID THAT CHINA

HAD SENT ITS MINISTER OF NUCLEAR INDUSTRY JIANG XINXIONG TO THE

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