TNAG-1498-FCO40-2056-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 116

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TELNO 1948

OF 23112OZ JUNE 86

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MY TELNO 1799 NUCLEAR SAFETY : CHINA,

SINCE REPORTED LAST AN MY TUR, DEVELOPMENTS HERE HAVE GATHERED SOME MOMENTUM. THE COALITION MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH 1 OF MY TUR .E. THE JOINT CONFERENCE FOR SHELVING THE DAYA BAY PLANT' HAS STEPPED UP ITS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT. THIS IS, IN PART, A RESPONSE TO RECENT COMMENTS BY LH PENG THAT THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE FOR THE PLANT WILL NOT BE DELAYED AND ITS LOCATION WILL NOT BE CHANGED. THE SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN S STILL CONTINUING AND 50,000 SIGNATURES HAVE ALLEGEDLY BEEN COLLECTED SO FAR.

2. THE COALETION IS SOLIFCHTING SUPPORT FROM UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF LEGCO AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS. THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT S A DECLARATION MADE YESTERDAY BY THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS' UMMON LED BY LEGCO MEMBER SZETO WAH THAT T ES JOINING THE MOVEMENT AGAINST THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT. SZETO SALD AT A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT HE WOULD PROPOSE HOLDING AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THIS ISSUE. #T SEEMS LIKELY THAT THIS WILL BE SUPPORTED BY LEGCO AT ITS IN-HOUSE MEETING ON FURDAY THIS WEEK. SZETO HAS ALSO SAID THAT HINS UMMON WOULD TRY TO OBTAIN ABOUT 100,000 SIGNATURES FROM THE SCHOOL HEADMASTERS, TEACHERS, PUPILS AND THER PARENTS AS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN WITHIN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR WHICH ENDS NEXT MONTH.

3. SEPARATELY, TWO OTHER DEVELOPMENTS ARE WORTH REPORTING:

(H) THERE WAS PROMINENT COVERAGE IN THE CHINESE PRESS TODAY ON XU JHATUN'S STATEMENT YESTERDAY THAT HE HAD REFLECTED TO THE STATE COUNCIL HONG KONG PEOPLE'S CONCERN ABOUT THE DAYA BAY PROJECT AND THAT THE STATE COUNCIL WOULD HANDLE THE QUESTION WITH GREAT CAPE.

(INN) UN A LUNCHEON SPEECH YESTERDAY NOBEL PRIZE WINNER PHYSICIST YANG CHUN-NING SAID THAT PEOPLE'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS SHOULD BE ONE OF 'CAUTION' AND NOT 'HYSTERICAL REJECTION*. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT WAS A RARE ONE AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO SERIOUS PROBLEMS FROM NUCLEAR REACTORS #N COUNTRIES LIKE JAPAN AND FRANCE. COMING FROM A NOBEL PRICE WINNER THIS WAS USEFUL BUT TO SOME EXTENT HAS BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY SZETO WAH'S MORE COLOURFUL PRONOUNCEMENTS.

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