TNAG-1504-FCO40-2062-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 158

SEP '05 '86 15:15 TIBCOOL) HK GOVT

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The Joint Conference for the Shelving of the Daya Bay Project yesterday called for a six-month postponement on the signing of the Daya Bay contracts.

Members of a group which asked for a scientific approach to the Daya Bay plant told a press conference yesterday that they were confident that China's nuclear safety authorities would strictly observe the licensing procedures regarding the Daya Bay plant.

The group would make a nuclear fact-finding tour to South Korea on September 5 and would visit China's nuclear plant being built at Qinshan at the end of this month.

According to the SCM Post, a China News Service report said the Chinese Government realised HK's prosperity and stability would be damaged if the wishes of its people were ignored unreasonably. The report said it was an over-simplification to say China had neglected public opinion in HK by going ahead with the Daya Bay project. It said opinion polls showed that only a limited number of residents opposed the project.

The Standard said discussions are now going on between the local anti-nuclear coalition and the HK Link, which is formed by a group of HK citizens in Britain, to stage an anti-Daya Bay protest in London during the brief stay there of the Governor and Exco members.

Wah Kiu Yat Po said that the Legco fact-finding missions had adopted a very practical approach in that they did not insist on fighting for things that were unattainable. They had made the inevitable compromise which might not be the best possible solution but which was already the best they could achieve in the present circumstances. The papar said that the missions' planned visit to: Peking indicated not only the importance China had attached to the missions' report, but also a change in the country{s attitude towards Legco.

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In a short comment, the paper said that the news about the signing of the Daya Bay contracts brought back by the Governor had, to some extent, disappointed HK people. The paper said now that the final decision about the Daya Bay project had been taken, HK people should fight for the opportunity to participate in the monitoring of the nuclear plant's operation.

Ching Po said it was a good thing for the Legco missions to go to Peking to listen to China's response to their report. The visit should, not be seen as a reward to the Legco missions for a job well done.

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