TNAG-1505-FCO40-2063-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 269

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ANGRY WHEN MR. MARTIN LEE ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT POLICIES WERE DECIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT ALONE. IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE NOT ALL THE TEN LEGCO UNOFFICIALS WHO VOTED FOR A SPECIAL LEGCO SITTING ENDORSED MP. MARTIN LEE'S CALL ON THE GOVERNOR. MR. POON CHI-FAI HAD PUBLICLY CLARIFIED THAT HE RESPECTED THE DECISION MADE BY THE MAJORITY OF THE LEGCO MEMBERS. DR. RICHARD LAN HAD ALSO PRIVATELY CONFESSED THAT HE DID NOT LEND SUPPORT TO THE CALL ON THE GOVERNOR (SEE PARA. 3 OF OUR TELNO. 2907). ON THE OTHER HAND, THE ANTI-DAYA BAY LOBBY GAVE IN THEIR PROMPT SUPPORT TO MR. LEE'S MOVE. THEY STAGED A DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE AND LODGED A PETITION TO UMELCO.

4. NCNA'S INVITATION TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGCO FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS STAYED IN FOCUS. THE MEDIA NOTED THAT ELEVEN OF THE THIRTEEN DELEGATES DECLARED THAT THEY HAD ACCEPTED THE INVITATION. THE REMAINING TWO MEMBERS, PROFESSOR POON CHUNG-KWONG AND MR. CHU HIN-KWONG, REGRETTED THAT THEY WOULD NOT JOIN THE VISIT BECAUSE OF PERSONAL COMMITMENTS. MISS MARIA TAM, THE LEADER OF THE DELEGATION TO EUROPE, SAID THAT SHE WOULD FIGHT FOR PEKING'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE SUGGESTIONS IN THE LEGCO REPORT. ANOTHER DELEGATE, MR. LEE YU-TA, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE WAS DUTY-BOUND TO REFLECT TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THE PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG AND THE REQUEST FOR A DELAY IN THE SIGNING OF DAYA BAY CONTRACTS. MEANWHILE, THE MEDIA PROMINENTLY REPORTED THAT MR. XU JIATUN, THE HEAD OF NCNA HK BRANCH, COMMENTED THAT THE LEGCO STATUS HAD BEEN LONG RECOGNISED BY CHINA. HE SAID THAT LEGCO MEMBERS WHO DID NOT JOIN THE DELEGATIONS WOULD ALSO BE WELCOMED TO VISIT PEKING #F THEY SAW A PRACTICAL NEED FOR IT. DR. CONRAD LAM HOWEVER HARD-HIT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FOR NOT ISSUING FORMAL INVITATION TO ALL LEGCO UNOFFICIALS. HE HANTED THAT CHINA HAD SELECTED THE LEGCO DELEGATES BECAUSE THEY HAD PRODUCED A REPORT CONTAINING FAVOURABLE COMMENTS ON THE DAYA BAY PROJECT.

5. THE VISIT BY THE GOVERNOR AND FOUR EXCO UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO LONDON WAS WIDELY REPORTED. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE EXCO GROUP WOULD MEET PRIME MINISTER, MRS. MARGARET THATCHER, FOREIGN SECRETARY, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE AND THE FCO MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG, MR. TIMOTHY RENTON. MISS MARIA TAM, PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG, HAD TOLD RADIO-1 THAT SHE WOULD REFLECT HK PEOPLE'S WORRIES ON THE DAYA BAY PROJECT DURING THE TRIP TO LONDON AND SHE WOULD BRING THE LEGCO FACT-FINDING REPORT TO LONDON AS WELL. SHE WOULD ASK THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO STRENGTHEN ITS CO-OPERATION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE SAFETY OF THE DAYA BAY PROJECT. SHE WOULD ALSO ASK THE BRITISH EXPERTS TO VISAIT HONG KONG TO EXPALIN NUCLEAR ENERGY TO HONG KONG PEOPLE. THE ITINERARY OF THE EXCO DELEGATION ATTRACTED MEDIA INTEREST. THE STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THE MEETING BETWEEN THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE EXCO MEMBERS WAS ALSO EXTENSIVELY REPORTED.

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