TNAG-1505-FCO40-2063-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 268

GRS 1850

CONFIDENTIAL

in HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2981

Confidential

Hirk 166/

OF 150715Z SEPTEMBER 86

E.V

SEP 186

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, PARIS, DT, DEPT OF ENERGY INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

砌

600

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

NUCLEAR SAFETY: CHINA.

5367

FURTHER TO OUR TELNOS. 2867 AND 286 THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR PLANT CONTINUED TO BE A MAJOR LOCAL CONCERN DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN 3 AND 11 SEPTEMBER. THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS ARE DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPHS 2 TO 9 BELOW.

2. OUR TELNO. 2867 REPORTED ON THE OUTCOME OF LEGCO IN-HOUSE MEETING ON 3 SEPTEMBER. SHORTLY AFTER THE LEGCO MEETING, THE GOVERNOR RECEIVED FROM THE ACTING SENIOR LEGCO UNOFFICIAL, MR. S.L. CHEN, A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING. IN THE MORNING OF 4 SEPTEMBER, MR. MARTIN LEE, DR. CONRAD LAM AND MR. TAH CHIN-WAH, CALLED ON THE GOVERNOR TO URGE THAT HE SHOULD CALL A SPECIAL LEGCO SITTING TO DISCUSS THE DAYA BAY ISSUE NOTWITHSTANDING THE MAJORITY OF THE LEGCO UNOFFICIALS HAD VOTED AGAINST THE IDEA AT THE IN-HOUSE MEETING. THE GOVERNOR AFTER THE MEETING WITH THE TRO, ISSUED A STATEMENT STATING THAT HE HAD DECIDED THAT IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF CONCLUSIONS REACHED AT THE IN-HOUSE MEETING, HE WAS NOT SATISFIED THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST DID REQUIRE A SPECIAL SHITTING AT THIS TIME. THE TRIO HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE TO EXPRESS THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S DECISION. MR. LEE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE HAD TRIED HIS BEST AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING MORE HE COULD DO UNDER THE PRESENT POLITICAL SYSTEM. HE APPEALED TO THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS IF THEY REALLY WANTED A SPECIAL LEGCO DEBATE. HE ALSO HINTED THAT MR. S.L. CHEN HAD TRIED TO STEER THE MAJORITY OF LEGCO COUNCILLORS

IN A PARTICULAR DIRECTION'' DURING THE IN-HOUSE MEETING BY PRODUCING A LETTER FROM THE ACTING GOVERNOR STATING THAT CHINA HAD DECIDED TO GO AHEAD WITH THE DAYA BAY PROJECT AND HKG SUPPORTED THE PROJECT.

3. SOME PAPERS BELIEVED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT LIKE A SPECIAL LEGCO SITTING TO DISCUSS THE DAYA BAY PROJECT WHICH WAS PRIMARILY A MATTER FOR CHINA. SOME LEGCO MEMBERS WHO ASKED FOR A SPECIAL DEBATE SHARED THIS VIEW. THEY SUSPECTED THAT THE GOVERNOR'S REJECTION OF THE REQUEST FOR A LEGCO SITTING HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH CHINA'S STANCE. DR. CONRAD LAM, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS QUOTED BY THE PAPERS AS SAYING THAT THE GOVERNOR COULD BE UNDER PRESSURE FROM PEKING. IN THIS CONNECTION, IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT ONE OF THE COUNCILLORS WHO WAS AT THE MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR IN THE MORNING OF 4 SEPTEMBER TOLD THE PRESS THAT THE GOVERNOR LOOKED ANGRY

Confidential