SEP 05 86 15:09 TIBCOOU) HK GOVT
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The
Sing Pao said that the report contained three main points. first was that there was no need for an evacuation plan outside the 10-mile radius of the plant. The second was that chances of an accident in a pressurised water reactor were very slim while the third point was that N-plant safety depended to a large extent on the careful operation of a team of well-trained operators.
The
Ming Pao described the Legco missions as a mere PR exercise. paper said it was a foregone conclusion that nuclear plants were very safe but not absolutely safe. The Legco missions were calculated to convince the public of the relative safety of nuclear plants and to ask them to ignore the fact that they were not absolutely safe. The paper said Legco members should not use public money to try to alter public opinion.
The Express said that the report contained nothing that was not expected. It was no exaggeration to say that the Legco missions were a Government move to counter public opinion.
In its editorial, the Sunday Morning Post was highly critical of the Legco report, saying that it had failed to address to important question of contingency measures and hoped that this issue would be raised at the probable Legco meeting. The editorial added that the Governor had rightly left door open for an emergency debate and at this stage in HK's democratic development it would be a wise move to make.
H
In her Post column headed Constitutional crisis looms over Daya Bay, Ann Quon said the consequences of Martin Lee invoking the Powers and Privileges Ordinance and pressing for a vote in Legco to force the Government to back out of the project would, in Government's view, have disastrous consequences. She said the Exco London visit was an opportunity for the British Government to reaffirm its support for Exco at a time when its role is being questioned by people like Martin Lee, and to take Maria Tam and Allen Lee out of the Daya Bay game for a brief spell.
Monday, September 1: The media gave prominent coverage to further comments on Legco's fact-finding report.
SCM Post's front page lead said Sir Edward Youde faced an unprecedented pressure from political and academic camps. The paper said Martin Lee renewed his demand for an emergency Legco meeting to discuss the issue and called for a review of Sir Edward's conflicting position as HK's top official (who has to see that the Government policy is implemented) and his role on Legco (which is to ensure full airing of Council matters).
Radio-3 had a similar report quoting Martin Lee on the Governor' conflicting roles in Exco and Legco.
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