TNAG-1503-FCO40-2061-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 48

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WONG, MR. MARTIN LEE AND MR. CONRAD LAM SHARED THE VIEW THAT THE

LEGCO DELEGATIONS SHOULD NOT ACCEPT THE INVITATION.

4. MUCH OF THE PUBLIC ATTENTION SHIFTED FROM THE REPORT ITSELF TO

THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN MISS MARIA TAM AND MR. MARTIN LEE. IN THIS

CONNECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT MISS TAM AND MR. LEE HAD A HEATED

DEBATE ON THE DAYA BAY ISSUE IN A TV PROGRAMME ON 2 SEPTEMBER.

THE LEGCO IN-HOUSE MEETING WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE AFTERNOON OF

3 SETEMBER AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT MR. MARTIN LEE'S CALL FOR A

DEBATE ON DAYA BAY WOULD BE RAISED. MEANWHILE, THERE WAS INCREASING

CONCERN THAT MR. LEE'S MOVE MIGHT HAVE FARREACHING POLITICAL AND

CONSTITUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS. (SEE PARA. 4 OF OUR TELNO. 2824). MR.

IAN MACCALLUM, HONG KONG BRANCH OF JUSTICE CHAIRMAN, ACCUSED MR.

LEE FOR JEOPARDISING HONG KONG'S FUTURE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA BY

CREATING A PUBLIC FURORE. IN HIS VIEW, THE ARGUEMENT BEING PURSUED

BY MR. LEE WAS RATHER DANGEROUS AT THIS TIME IN THE HONG KONG

HISTORY. HIS PROTESTS COULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE BECAUSE THE

CHINESE OFFICIALS COULD LOOK AT ALL THE FUSS BEING CREATED AND

DECIDE TO RESTRICT THE FREEDOM OF HONG KONG PEOPLE IN FUTURE. WHILE

IT WAS STILL UNCLEAR WHETHER MR. LEE WOULD SUCCEED IN SEEKING A

LEGCO DEBATE ON DAYA BAY, HE HAD SECURED THE SUPPORT OF THE

ANTI-DAYA BAY GROUPS INCLUDING THE JOINT CONFERENCE FOR SHELVING THE

DAYA BAY PLANT, A GROUP OF 47 DB MEMBERS FROM 11 DISTRICTS (PARA.

9 OF OUR TELNO. 2779) AND THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF STUDENTS.

INDEED, THE HONG KONG BAR ASSOCIATION SECRETARY, MR. DANIEL FUNG,

ENDORSED MR. MARTIN LEE'S VIEW THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD BEEN PLACED IN

A DIFFICULT SITUATION AND THE GOVERNOR'S DUAL ROLE AS BOTH THE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGCO PRESIDENT SHOULD BE REVIEWED.

5. AS PART OF HIS ANTI-DAYA BAY COMPAIGN, MR. MARITN LEE RELEASED,

ON 1 SEPTEMBER, TWO REPORTS ON HIS PERSONAL NUCLEAR FACT-FINDING

TRIPS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES. IN THESE REPORTS,

MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT NO NUCLEAR INSTALLATION WAS 100 PER CENT

SAFE. HE EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT IT WAS PRUDENT TO SHELVE THE DAYA

BAY PROJECT PRO-TEM PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE CHERNOBYL

INVESTIGATIONS. HE ALSO HARD-HIT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE RELEVANT

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