TNAG-1503-FCO40-2061-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 199

CONFIDENTIAL

4. IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE HONG KONG DELEGATION, IN A BAND TO PRESS FOR MEETINGS WITH THE CHINESE LEADERS, HAD CANCELLED THE VISIT TO QINGHUA UNIVERSITY. THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE DELEGATION AND CHINA LATER ENDED WHEN MR. L' HOU, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG AND MACAU OFFICE, RECEIVED THE 1.04 MILLION SIGNATURES FROM THE HONG KONG DELEGATION ON 21 AUGUST. THE MEDIA REPORTED THAT MR. LI SAD THAT HE WOULD REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE ANTINUCLEAR LOBBY TO SENHOR CHINESE LEADERS AT THE STATE COUNCIL. HE NEVERTHELESS DID NOT STAY TO DISCUSS THE DAYA BAY ISSUE WITH THE DELEGATION. IN REPLY TO THE PRESS, MR. LN SAID THAT CHINA UNDERSTOOD THE CONCERN OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AND THAT A SERIES OF MEASURES WOULD BE ADOPTED TO ENSURE THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE

DAYA BAY PLANT.

5. THE RETURN OF THE 12 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JOINT CONFERENCE

TO HONG KONG ON 21 AUGUST WAS ALSO WIDELY REPORTED. THE MEDIA

HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE JOINT CONFERENCE HAD FAILED TO MEET THE TOP

CHINESE LEADERS ALTHOUGH THE DELEGATION WAS CONFIDENT THAT CHINA

WOULD LISTEN TO THEIR VIEWS. IN A SUBSEQUENT PRESS CONFERENCE ON

24 AUGUST, THE JOINT CONFERENCE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD FIGHT

ON BY ORGANISING A SERIES OF ANTI-DAYA BAY ACTIVITIES INCLUDING

EXHIBITIONS, MASS RALLIES AND PETITIONS. TO START WITH, THEY PLEDGED SUPPORT TO THE CALL BY A FEW LEGCO COUNCILLORS FOR A

SPECIAL LEGCO SITTING TO DISCUSS THE DAYA BAY ISSUE (SEE PARAGRAPH

9 BELOW).

6. THE PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT BY THE UMELCO FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS TO EUROPE, THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN WAS THE FOCUS OF PUBLIC ATTENTION. QUOTING SOURCES, ATV SAND THAT MANY LEGCO UNOFF KC HALS FELT THAT IT WOULD BE MEANINGLESS TO PUBLISH THE REPORT AFTER THE CONTRACTS HAD BEEN SIGNED. IT WAS NOW PLANNED THAT THE REPORT SHOULD BE FINALISED BY 30 AUGUST, DISCUSSED AT A LEGCO IN-HOUSE MEETING ON 3 SEPTEMBER AND PUBLISHED BEFORE THE SCHEDULED

SIGNING OF CONTRACTS IN MID-SEPTEMBER (SEE OUR TELNO 2476). ON THE

CONTENT OF THE REPORT, THE MED NA NOTED THAT THE REPORT WOULD LIST

OUT THE BEST POSSIBLE SAFETY MEASURES FOR NUCLEAR STATIONS THE

LEGCO MEMBERS WERE AWARE OF, BUT IT WOULD NOT MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHETHER THE DAYA BAY PROJECT SHOULD GO AHEAD

OR NOT. THE ORIENTAL NEWS SAID THAT THE REPORT WOULD USE THE TERM

''OBSERVATIONS' TO DESCRIBE THE SUGGESTIONS MADE BY THE DELEGATIONS

IN ORDER TO AVOID BEING ACCUSED OF INTERFERING WITH CHINA'S INTERNAL

AFFAIRS. THERE WOULD BE SOME 40 OBSERVATIONS'' IN THE REPORT

FOR CONSIDERATION BY HKNIC AS WELL AS THE CHINESE AND HONG KONG

GOVERNMENTS.

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17.