TNAG-1503-FCO40-2061-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 47

CONFIDENTIAL

60114 1

www

HKNIC WOULD GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THE OBSERVATIONS MADE

IN THE REPORT AND SUCH OBSERVATIONS WOULD NOT ONLY BE DISCUSSED

AT THE NEXT GNPJVC BOARD MEETING BUT HE WOULD ALSO RAISE

THEM WITH OTHER HIGHER AUTHORITIES. MR. STONES HOWEVER SAID THAT IT

WAS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT ONE OF THE LEGCO OBSERVATIONS THAT HONG

KONG SHOULD BE ENSURED THAT THE FUTURE ELECTRICITY TARIFF BEING

CHARGED TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE HIGHER THAN THE

TARIFF CHARGED BY THE HONG KONG POWER COMPANIES FOR THE LIFE SPAN OF

THE DAY BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT (PARA. 5.2.9 OF THE REPORT).

3. THE MEDIA GAVE PROMINENT COVERAGE TO A BRIEF STATEMENT ISSUED ON

1 SEPTEMBER BY THE ACTING SENIOR LEGCO UNOFFICIAL, MR. S.L. CHEN,

THAT HE HAD RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM NCNA THAT THE LEGCO NUCLEAR

FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS WOULD BE INVITED TO PEKING ON 18 SEPTEMBER

TO MEET CHINESE OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS THEIR REPORT. QUOTING SOURCES

CLOSE TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES RADIO-1 AND A FEW PAPERS SAID

THAT THE LEGCO DELEGATIONS WOULD STAY IN PEKING FOR THREE TO FOUR

DAYS BEFORE VISITING THE QINSHAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. THEY WOULD BE

MEETING MR. JI PENGFEI, MR. LI PENG AND OTHER CHINESE LEADERS. IT

WAS LIKELY THAT THE CHINESE LEADERS WOULD ASSURE THE DELEGATIONS

THAT THE HIGHEST SAFETY STANDARDS WOULD BE ADOPTED AT THE DAYA BAY

PLANT AND THAT THE OBSERVATIONS IN THE LEGCO REPORT HAD BEEN

CONSIDERED AND MOST OT THEM WOULD BE ACCEPTED. ON 2 SEPTEMBER,

THE

MEDIA NOTED THAT MISS MARIA TAM AND MR. ALLEN LEE, LEADERS OF THE

LEGCO DELEGATIONS, CONFIRMED THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED FROM NCNA

A FORMAL INVITATION TO VISIT PEKING ON 18 SEPTEMBER. MR. ALLEN

LEE SAID THAT THE INVITATION SHOWED THAT CHINA RECOGNISED LEGCO AND

ATTACHED IMPORTANCE TO THE LEGCO REPORT. MISS MARIA TAM SAID THAT

SHE WOULD DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH HER LEGCO COLLEGAUES WITH A

VIEW TO DECIDING WHETHER THE INVITATION SHOULD BE ACCEPTED. SHE

NEVERTHELESS STRESSED THAT IT WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LEGCO

DELEGATES TO GO TO PEKING TO REFLECT THEIR VIEWS. THE COMMENTS MADE

BY OTHER LEGCO UNOFFICIALS ON THE INVITATION WERE ALSO REPORTED BY

THE MEDIA. IT WAS NOTED THAT MR. TAI CHIN-WAH AND MR. HO SAI-CHU

COMMENDED CHINA FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO DISCUSS THE DAYA BAY

ISSUE WITH THE LEGCO DELEGATES. ON THE OTHER HAND, MR. ANDREW

2

CONFIDENTIAL