TNAG-1504-FCO40-2062-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 144

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SEP 05 '86 15:07 TIBCOOU) HK GOVT

The Standard and Sing Tao Jih Pao quoted a source as saying that the contracts would be signed on September 24 or 25 at Shenzhen. The paper said that the date for the signing was decided by a team of high-level officials under Vice-Premier Li Peng, which was responsible for the Daya Bay project.

The paper noted that the HK Government was informed of the date of the signing several days ago.

The Chief Secretary, Sir David Akers-Jones, told Ming Pao last night that he was confused by the agency report on the date of the signing of the contracts.

He said that as he knew earlier that the Chinese authorities would sign the contracts at the end of September.

In a separate report, Sing Tao quoted a source as saying that the part on the financial viability mentioned in a feasibility study, which was still not made public, indicated that China expected to make profits from the Daya Bay plant 20 years after its operation.

The source said that related documents showed that the latest estimated costs for the plant was $28.8 billion, which was $13.3 billion more than the coats estimated in 1980.

Deputy Director of the HK and Macau Affairs Office, Li Hou, said in Xiamen yesterday that China would consider a suggestion to set up a monitoring organisation comprising HK people to monitor the Daya Bay plant as it was a good idea.

Mr Li told reporters that he had noticed reports on Legco's overseas fact-finding missions and that there was a general concept that the question of evacuation did not exist in areas beyond a 10-kilometre radius of the plant.

Therefore, HK would have no danger as it was 50 kilometres from Daya Bay, he added.

The Governor, Sir Edward Youde, who arrived at Peking yesterday evening, would meet officials of China's HK and Macau Affairs Office on Monday after a weekend as guest of British Ambassador, Sir Richard Evans.

Sir Edward told reporters at Peking airport that he would have a general review of the HK situation.

"I would expect that China would welcome some account of the feeling in HK about Daya Bay and what concerns there are, and I would be glad to give them that. he said.

LAMIRA.

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