TNAG-1506-FCO40-2064-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 102

OCT 03 '86 16:42 TIBCOOL) HK GOVT

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Richard Lai said that his doubts on the economic viability of the project had been reduced after the visit. But he still hoped the authorities concerned could ensure that nuclear power to be produced by the plant throughout its life-long operation would be cheaper than coal-fired electricity.

He was quoted by several papers as saying that he would reflect the results of a recent survey conducted in HK to Vice-Premier Li Peng and State Councillor Ji Pengfei when he met them today. The papers noted that about 70 per cent of the respondents to the survey were against the nuclear project.

In an interview with the HK Economic Journal, Lagco Unofficial Martin Lee stressed that he did not think the Daya Bay controversy would be over after the signing of the contracts on September 23. He said he would urge Legco to overrule the decision to buy electricity from the Daya Bay plant.

Mr Lee said that the Government and some Legco' members had taken an irresponsible attitude by saying that HK could do nothing over the Daya Bay project. If HK did not buy electricity from the project, China would have no foreign exchange at all. The project would not be economically viable and Britain and China would have to reconsider whether the plant should be built.

He said that when Legco reconvened, the Governor could not stop councillors from discussing the Daya Hay issue. If the residents were still strongly against the project, the Legco Powers and Privileges Legislation could be invoked to press the Government to release the related commercial documents on the project.

Nevertheless, Mr Lee noted that it might not be easy to invoke the legislation. He stressed that it was unreasonable for the Government not to release the related documents.

Asked if Legco had the power to overrule Exco's decision from a constitutional angle, Mr Lee said he thought there would not be any question. The reason was that the decision made yesterday might not be applied to the situation today.

Mr Lee said that when the new Legco session reconvened, he would move a motion to discuss the economic aspect of the Daya Bay project again. But he noted that judging from the present set-up of Legco, the chance of the motion being passed wa slim.

He described Allen Lee's remarke that it would be like violating the agreement if HK did not buy elepricity from China as "ridiculous.