TNAG-1498-FCO40-2056-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 73

GRS 400

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO MMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1973

OF 251025Z JUNE 86

INFO (IMMED MATE PEKING

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18

MY TELNO 1936: NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA

1. ## UNDERSTAND THAT DURING HU YAOBANG'S WISIT TO THE UK, MINISTERS, WHILE STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF REASSURING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WELCOMED THE CHINESE DECISION TO CONTINUE WHTH THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION. H CAN UNDERSTAND THE COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL REASONS FOR THIS AND ALSO HMG'S WISH NOT TO THROW DOUBT ON THE VRABILITY AND SAFETY OF CIVIL NUCLEAR PROGRAMMES. # HOPE THAT THE PROPOSALS HAVE MADE WILL BE ACCEPTED AS EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO REASSURE HONG KONG. BUT I MUST NOW FORMALLY RECORD MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT THAT REASSURANCE ON SAFETY STANDARDS, CONTINGENCY PLANS ETC. WELL NOT BE ENOUGH TO ALLAY PUBLIC FEARS: THAT EN CONSEQUENCE THERE WILL IN THE SHORT TERM BE A PRICE

TO PAY FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROJECT IN TERMS OF CONFIDENCE

AMONG THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG: THAT TIPS PRICE WILL BE

SUBSTANTIALLY RAINSED DURING THE 1990S WHEN THE STATION IPS

COMMISSIONED: AND THAT BOTH BRIHTINSH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS MUST

NOW TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT.

2. !D ACCEPT THAT THE FUTURE OF THE STATION IS A MATTER FOR THE

GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED, AND IN PARTICULAR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. * ALSO ACCEPT THAT EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE

STATION IS CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE

STANDARDS. INT AS NOT POSSIBLE, HOWEVER, TO GIVE A GUARANTEE THAT NO ACCIDENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT DAYA BAY, AND FROM NOW ON EVERY

ANGIDENT AT ANY NUCLEAR PLANT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WILL INCREASE

THE OPPOSITION IN HONG KONG TO THE PROJECT. IF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT

WERE TO OCCUR AT A PWR STATION, PARTICULARLY A FRENCH ONE, THE

OPPOSITION COULD BECOME UNCONTAINABLE.

3. › THEREFORE BELIEVE THAT THE SITUATION HAS NOW DEVELOPED TO

THE POINT WHERE, IN FOLLOWING UP LI PENG'S PROPOSALS FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS (YOUR TELNO 1124 REFERS), HMG SHOULD

CONSIDER WHETHER TO CONVEY THIS ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVELY TO THE

CHINESE. THEY WILL CERTAINLY BE GETTING THE SAME STRONG MESSAGE

INFORMALLY FROM OTHER SOURCES. MINISTERS WILL NO DOUBT ALSO WISH

TO CONSIDER WHETHER THEY SHOULD GO FURTHER AND POINT OUT THE

POLITICAL BENEFITS THAT COULD BE OBTAINED IN HONG KONG #F THE

CHINESE WERE TO DECIDE NOW TO MOVE THE PROJECT FROM DAYA BAY OR

TO CONVERT IT TO A THERMAL STATION (MY TELNO 1726 REFERS).

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