TNAG-1503-FCO40-2061-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 187

50A

HEL 166/1

VEL

1 SEP 1936

CONFIDENTIAL

COPY

OCMIAN 8961

CONFIDENTIAL

00 PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

281645Z AUG

GRS 750

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 29010OZ HONG KONG

TELNO 1835

OF 281645Z AUGUST 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PARIS, PEKING

MY SECOND IPT: DAYA BAY

58961 - 1

FOLLOWING IS DRAFT LINE MINISTERS MIGHT TAKE WITH EXCO VISITORS.

BEGINS

1.

KNOW THERE IS A NEED FOR SOME ASSURANCE FROM HMG TO HONG

KONG PEOPLE ABOUT DAYA BAY PROJECT.

2.

CANNOT GIVE AN ASSURANCE THAT DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER

STATION WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY SAFE. WOULD NOT BE BELIEVED IF I

DID. NO POWER STATION IS ABSOLUTELY SAFE:

COAL-FIRED STATIONS POLLUTE THE

ATMOSPHERE, WHICH MAY CAUSE DEATHS FROM CANCER, AND CARRY PENALTY

OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, LIKE ANY OTHER INDUSTRY. USELESS TO

DENY SINCE CHERNOBYL THAT ACCIDENTS IN NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS CAN

HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. QUESTION IS WHETHER, TAKING INTO

ACCOUNT THE VERY LOW PROBABILITY OF SUCH ACCIDENTS IF DUE

CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO SAFETY ASPECT IN DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION

AND OPERATION OF NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS, THE RISKS ARE

COMMENSURATE WITH THE UNDOUBTED BENEFITS OF NUCLEAR POWER.

3.

FACT IS THAT MOST ADVANCED COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UK, HAVE DECIDED THAT A SUBSTANTIAL NUCLEAR COMPONENT SHOULD BE

INCLUDED IN THEIR ELECTRICITY GENERATING CAPABILITY. MUST EXPECT

1

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/CHINA