TNAG-1506-FCO40-2064-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 42

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COMMITTEE WITH HONG KONG PARTICIPATION. HE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED SOME POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT NAMELY: THE PRICE GUARANTEE

FOR THE INITIAL SIX YEARS WAS GOOD ENOUGH: THE ELECTRICITY TARIFF WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE SCHEME OF CONTROL, THE BULK OF ASSETS OF DAYA BAY WOULD NOT BE REFLECTED IN THE FUTURE TARIFF STRUCTURE: AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO RAISE THE INITIAL CAPITAL TO FINANCE THE

PROJECT IF THE COAL OPTION WAS ADOPTED.

7. MISS MARIA TAM, AS ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE LEGCO FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS, REPORTED ON SONE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS MADY BY THE

DELEGATIONS.

SHE STRESSED THAT THE DELEGATIONS WERE REASSURED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES INCLUDING VICE-PRIMIER MR. LI PENG THAT THE DAYA BAY PLANT WOULD BE BUILT AND OPERATED UP TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS. NEVERTHELESS, MANY PEOPLE WERE STILL SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE ABILITY OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO MANAGE THE PLANT PROPERLY AND THIS PROBLEM COULD BE RESOLVED BY THE DISCLOSURE OF MORE INFORMATION. MISS TAM SUGGESTED THAT THE TARIFF SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE SCHEME

OF CONTROL AND THE DETAILED COMMERCIAL ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE

PUBLIC. IT WAS THE TIME THAT HONG KONG COMMUNITY BE INFORMED OF

THE LONG TERM BENEFITS THEY MIGHT DERIVE FROM THE JOINT VENTURE

AND LOOKED TO THE FUTURE.

8. MISS MARIA TAM'S CALL FOR INCLUDING THE TARIFF FOR ELECTRICITY

FROM DAYA BAY IN THE SCHEME OF CONTROL WAS ECHOED BY ONE OF HIS COLLEAGUES, MR. JACKIE CHAN. MR. CHAN WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH A

LACK OF A CUARANTEE OVER THE ELECTRICITY PRICE AFTER THE FIRST SIX

YEARS OF OPERATION. ON THE SAFETY ASPECT. MR. CHAN NOTED THAT MANY

OF THE ASSURANCES GIVEN OVER THE SAFETY OF THE PLANT WERE NOT

ADEQUATELY BACKED UP. IT WAS TOTALLY UNCONVINCING TO ASK THE PUBLIC TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SOME UNTESTED SAFETY-PROVEN PRODUCTS.

3. ANOTHER LEADER OF THE FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS, MR. ALLEN LEE,

REGRETTED THAT THE VISIT TO PEKING HAD BEEN SCORNED AS A PUBLIC

RELATIONS EXERCISE FOR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND THAT THOSE

AGREED WITH THE CHINESE WOULD LIKELY BE ACCUSED OF SHINING THE

CHINESE SHOES' HE SAID THAT THROUGH LONG DISCUSSION WITH THE

CHINESE AUTHORITIES, THE COUNCIL HAD FULFILLED ITS TASKS,

HOEVER DIFFICULT. HE ALSO CLARIFIED THAT 35 PER CENT OF HIS

COMPANIES' BUSINESS WAS GEARED TO THE AMERICAN MARKET. THERE WAS

NO QUESTION OF HIM GIVING SUPPORT TO THE DAYA BAY PROJECT BECAUSE

OF HIS BUSINESS CONNECTIONS WITH CHINA.

10. TAKING A CUE FROM MR. ALLEN LEE'S SPEECH, DR. CONRAD LAM SAID

THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNOR WHO WAS SHINING THE SHOES OF MR. ALLEN

LEE'S FACT-FINDING DELEGATION. DR. LAM ALSO SAID THAT THE PEOPLE OF

HONG KONG WERE ENTITLED TO WHATEVER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE ABOUT

THE DAYA BAY PROJECT. HE SAID THAT THE AUTHORITIES LEFT MUCT TO BE

DESIRED IN THE WAY THEY HANDLED PUBLIC OPINION THAT HAD BEEN

ENDORSED BY MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE WHO HAD SIGNED A PETITION.

COMMENTING ON CRITICISM BEING DIRECTED AT INDIVIDUAL LEGCO MEMBERS,

DR. LAM ARGUED THAT THIS COULD HAVE MERITS IN A LIBERAL SOCIETY

THAT UPHELD FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND CALLED 'A SPADE A SPADE'.

RESTRICTED

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