TNAG-1498-FCO40-2056-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 96

ADVANCE COPIES

GUANGDONG

SIR W HARDING

DR WILSON

MR DAUNT

HD/FED

13

Alck 160/

DY

2 5 JUN 1986

183

MR C BENJAMIN DTI (Victoria St)

DR R L DOBBIE

MRTM DURIE

Y

DTI (Ashdown House)

DTI

MR JALTY ROOM 517

HD/NED

HD/TRED

HD/HD

HD/WED

RESIDENT CLERK

i

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1973

OF 251025Z JUNE 86

#NFO AMMEDNATE PEKING

19367

173

MY TELNO 1936: NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA

1. # UNDERSTAND THAT DURING HU YAOBANG'S WISHT TO THE UK, MINISTERS, WHILE STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF REASSURING THE PEOPLE

OF HONG KONG, WELCOMED THE CHINESE DECISION TO CONTINUE WITH THE

DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION, # CAN UNDERSTAND THE COMMERCIAL

AND POLITICAL REASONS FOR THIS AND ALSO HMG'S WISH NOT TO THROW

DOUBT ON THE VIABILITY 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. WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO ALLAY PUBLAC FEARS: THAT #N 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 THIS PRICE WILL BE

SUBSTANTIALLY RAISED DURING THE 1990S WHEN THE STATION HIS

COMMISSIONED: AND THAT BOTH BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS MUST

NOW TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT.

2. ACCEPT THAT THE FUTURE OF THE STATION ÉS A MATTER FOR THE GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED, AND 4N PARTICULAR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. 1 ALSO ACCEPT THAT EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE

STATION HIS CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED TO THE WIGHEST POSSIBLE

STANDARDS. TNS NOT POSSIBLE, HOWEVER, TO GAVE A GUARANTEE THAT NO ACCIDENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT DAYA BAY,' AND FROM NOW ON EVERY #NCIDENT 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, # FOLLOWING UP LI PENG'S PROPOSALS FOR COOPERATION

7.11.85