TNAG-1505-FCO40-2063-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 102

GRS 1600

CONFIDENT PAL

FM HONG KONG

TO HIMEDIATE FOO

TELNO 3200

Confidential

OF 0207302 OCTOBER 36

160/1

3 OCT 1986

INFO IMMEDIATE DTH, DEPT OF ENERGY, HKGO LONDON

PEKING, PARIS

I

から

638

NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA

(634

FURTHER TO OUR TELNO. 3077. THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT STILL ATTRACTED MEDIA ATTENTION DURING THE PERIOD PETWEEN 23 AND

30 SEPTEMBER ALTHOUGH THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THIS SUBJECT CONTINUED

TO DECLINE. THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS ARE NOW SUMMARISED IN PARAGRAPHS

2 TO 9 BELOW.

2.

THE SIGNING OF THE FOUR MAIN CONTRACTS AND THREE LOAN AGREEMENTS

IN THE AFTERNOON OF 23 SEPTEMBER AT THE GREAT HALL OF PEOPLE IN

PEKING WAS THE FOCUS OF PRESS ATTENTION. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE

CHINESE PREMIER, MR. ZHAO ZIYANG, HAD A MEETING WITH LEADING MEMBERS

OF THE THREE COMPANIES AND EIGHT BANKS WHO WERE IN PEKING TO ATTEND

THE SIGNING CEREMONY. MR, ZHAO SAID THAT CHINA ACCEPTED THAT IT

SHOULD PAY STILL GREATER ATTENTION TO THE SAFETY OF THE NUCLEAR

POWER PLANTS AFTER THE CHERNOBYL INCIDENT BUT THE CHERNOBYL WOULD

NOT CHANGE ITS ATTITUDE TOWARDS DEVELOPING THE NUCLEAR POWER

INDUSTRY. THE MEDIA EXTENSIVELY REPORTED THAT THE SIGNING CEREMONY

WAS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT ATTENDED BY DIPLOMATS AND HIGH-RANKING

CHINESE OFFICIALS INCLUDING VICE PREMIER, MR. LI PENG. THE CONTRACTS VALUED AT ABOUT US DOLLARS 1.8 BILLION AND GEC'S CONTRACT

IN RESPECT OF SUPPLY OF TURBINE GENERATORS ALONE WAS A DEAL OF

POUNDS 250 MILLION. THE CONTRACTS WOULD BE EXPECT TO PE APPROVED

BY THE STATE COUNCIL BEFORE 7 OCTOBER. PT WAS UNLIKELY THAT THE

CONTRACTS WOULD BE CANCELLED LATER AS THE CANCELLATION FEES WOULD

BE VERY SUBSTANTIAL. THE LOCAL PRESS ALSO GAVE MODERATE COVEPAGE

TO THE PRESS INTERVIEW WITH SIP RICHARD EVANS IN PEKING AFTER THE

SIGNING OF CONTRACTS.

3.

THE LEGCO MEMBERS WERE BRIEFED ON THE VISIT TO BEIJING BY THE

FACT-FINDING DELEGATION DURING THE IN-HOUSE MEETING HELD IN THE

AFTERNOON OF 27 SEPTEMBER. THE PROPOSAL FOR DEBATING DAYA BAY

IN LEGCO WAS DISCUSSED AND AGREED. DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE

AFTER THE PW-HOUSE MEETING, THE SENIOR LEGCO UNOFFICAL, MISS

LYDIA DUNN, ANNOUNCED THAT THE LEGCO COUNCILLORS AGREED UNANIMOUSLY

TO A MOTION FOR 15 OCTOBER CALLING THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE

DETAILS OF THE ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING SAFETY AND TARIFF FOR THE

PURCHASE OF ELECTRICITY FROM THE DAY BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

TOGETHER WITH SUCH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WITHOUT PREACHING COMM-

ERCHIAL CONFIDENTIALITY, IT WAS NOTED THAT HON. MARTIN LEE

ORIGINALLY PROPOSED A STRONG WORDED MOTION URGING FOR DISCLOSURE

OF ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO BE PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNMENT

BUT THIS WAS REJECTED BY SOME MEMBERS ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT

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