6. THE MEDIA EXPRESSED INTEREST N THE DEPARTURE OF A TEAM OF
HONG KONG OFFICIALS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM TO DISCUSS WITH THE
HARWELL CONSULTANTS THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE CONSULTANCY. HIT
WAS NOTED THAT THE TEAM COMPRISED MR. JOHN WILSON (REPRESENTING
ESB), MR. GRAHAM OSBORNE (EMSD) AND DR. M.C. WONG (RO). THE MAIN
PURPOSES OF THE DISCUSSIONS ARE TO FINALISE THE CONTENT OF THE
SECOND STAGE OF THE ACCIDENT ASSESSMENT REPORT AND TO DISCUSS HOW
THE EXTENT TO WHICH CONTINGENCY PLANNING MIGHT BE REQUIRED FOR HONG
KONG SHOULD BE DETERMINED. MR. OSBORNE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT
HE HOPED THE SECOND STAGE OF THE ACCIDENT ASSESSMENT STUDY WOULD
BE COMPLETED EARLIER THAN PLANNED AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD
ASK FOR THE REPORT TO BE WRITTEN IN A LANGUAGE THAT COULD BE
UNDERSTOOD BY THE PUBLIC.
7. A FEW NEWSPAPERS, INCLUDING SING TAO AND SOUTH CHINA MORNING
POST, REPORTED IN THEIR FRONT PAGES THAT MR. MARTIN LEE AND SOME
OTHER ELECTED LEGCO UNOFFICIALS WERE INDIGNANT THAT THE LEAKED
INFORMATION ON THE HARWELL CONSULTANCY HAD NOT BEEN MADE AVAILABLE
TO LEGCO. THEY ACCORDINGLY SOUGHT DISCLOSURE OF ALL CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION ON DAYA BAY INCLUDING THE LAZARD BROTHERS REPORTS,
THE HARWELL REPORTS AND THE CENSORED INFORMATION IN THE FEASIBILITY
STUDY REPORTS, THE INFORMATION COLLECTED BY SES IN HIS RECENT VISIT
TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND FRANCE AND THE CURRENT DISCUSSIONS
BETWEEN THE HONG KONG OFFICALS AND HARWELL CONSULTANTS. THE
DISGRUNTLED COUNCILLORS WOULD START A COMPREHENSIVE LOBBYING
EFFORT TO GET SUPPORT FROM THEIR COLLEAGUES FOR A RESOLUTION TO
EXERCISE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) ORDINANCE
TO PRESS FOR THE RELEASE OF THE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. TO START
WITH, HE WOULD SEND A LETTER TO MISS LYDA DUNN AND MR. S.L. CHEN TO SEEK THEIR SUPPORT.
8. THERE WERE SIGNS THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WERE CONTINUING
WITH THEIR PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN. THE CNS PUBLISHED A LARGE
NUMBER OF REASSURING REPORTS ON NUCLEAR SAFETY. AMID THESE
CNS REPORTS, JIANG XINXIONG, THE MINISTER OF NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY WAS REPORTED TO HAVE TOLD THE SOCIETY OF HONG KONG SCHOLARS THAT
CHINA WAS AWARE THAT THE EARLIER FEASIBILITY STUDY REPORT WAS
NOT COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH ON SAFETY ASPECTS AND WAS PREPARING A MORE
DETAILED REPORT. THE PRESIDENT OF HONG KONG SWEDISH TRADE
ASSOCIATION WAS ALSO REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT DAYA BAY WOULD NOT
DETER SWEDISH INVESTMENTS IN HONG KONG, AS THERE WERE 12 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN SWEDEN AND SWEDES WERE NOW FAMILIAR WITH NUCLEAR
ENERGY. MEANWHILE NCNA HAD ARRANGED VISITS TO DAYA BAY FOR THE
COMMUNITY LEADERS (SEE THE WEEKLY INFORMATIONS REPORTS REFERRED TO IN PARA. 9 BELOW). THE ORIENTAL DAILY NOTED THAT A GROUP OF 37 SHATIN DB MEMBERS AND CONCERNED PEOPLE VISITED DAYA BAY AND WOULD
HOLD A FORUM AND EXHIBITION AT SHATIN PLAZA ON 14 SEPTEMBER.
SOME PAPERS NOTED THAT THE FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS HAD VISITED DAYA BAY AND HAD SET UP A CONCERNED GROUP. ONE OF THE NCNA OFFICIPALS ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT AN EXHIBITION WOULD BE MOUNTED IN HONG KONG NEXT MONTH (A SEPARATE REPORT ON THE EXHIBITION WILL FOLLOW).
-3-CONFIDENTIAL
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