TNAG-1506-FCO40-2064-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 94

لانسان

GRS 1300

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 3368

OF 14064OZ OCTOBER 86

Confidential

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

Nuclear

RECEIV

Lk 1662/1

AUCISTRY

2 0 OCT 1986

-ICER

REGISTRY

Action Taken

MUCLEAR SAFETY: PUBLIC OPINION ON DAYA BAY

FURTHER TO OUR TELNO 3209, BOTH THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC BEGAN TO LOSE INTEREST IN THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1 AND 10 OCTOBER ARE DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPHS 2 TO e BELOW. BRIEFLY, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AGREED THAT THE REPORT ON THE VISIT TO PEKING SHOULD BE PUBLSIHED AND THAT A SPECIAL COMMITTEE SHOULD BE SET UP TO MONITOR THE DAYA BAY PROJECT (PARAGRAPH 2). THERE WAS SOME DEBATE AS TO THE EXERCISE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) ORDINANCE (PARAGRAPH 3). THERE WERE MORE SIGNS THAT THE PUBLIC ATTENTION WAS SHIFTING FROM SAFETY TO THE PRICE OF ELECT- RICITY (PARAGRAPH 4), ALTHOUGH RESIDUAL CONCERN OVER SAFETY WAS DETECTED (PARAGRAPH 5). BOTH GNFJVC AND CLP WERE REPORTED TO BE STRENGTHENING THEIR PUBLIC AFFAIRS UNITS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF A SERIES OF PR ACTIVITIES (PARAGRAPH 6). THE PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS SHOWED THAT MORE PEOPLE HAD NOW ACCEPTED THE DAYA BAY PROJECT AS A FAIT ACCOMPLI (PARAGRAPH 7). THE ANTI-NUCLEAR GROUPS HOWEVER HAD NOT YET GIVEN THE BATTLE UP. (PARAGRAPH 8).

2. THE LEGCO REPORT ON THE VISIT TO PEKING WAS FORMALLY PUT TO THE IN-HOUSE MEETING ON 3 OCTOBER. IT WAS AGREED THAT THE LEGCO FACT- FINDING MISSIONS SHOULD NOW BE DISSOLVED AND THAT A NEW COMMITTEE SHOULD BE SET UP TO MONITOR THE DAYA BAY PROJECT. SO FAR A TOTAL OF 15 UNOFFICIALS (INCLUDING MISS MARIA TAM, DR. CONRAD LAM, MR. WONG PO-YAN, PROFESSOR POON CHUNG-KWONG, MR. POON CHI-FAI. MRS. PAULINE NG, MR. LEE YU-TAI, MR. NGAN SHIU-KIT, DR. RICHARD LAI, MR. HUI YIN-FAT, MR. HO SAI-CHU, MR. CHUNG PUI-LAM, MR. CHENG HON-KWAN, MR. JACKIE CHAN, AND MR. STEPHEN CHEONG) HAD SIGNED UP AS MEMBERS OF THE NEW MONITORING COMMITTEE. MR. SZETO WAH MAINTAINED THAT THE DAYA BAY PROJECT SHOULD BE SHELVED. HE WOULD NOT JOIN THE NEW MONITORING COMMITTEE AS IT WOULD IMPLY THAT HE HAD ACCEPTED THE PROJECT AS A FAIT ACCOMPLI.

3. THE LEGCO MOTION FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DETAILS OF ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING SAFETY AND TARIFF FOR THE PURCHASE OF ELECTRICITY FROM THE DAYA BAY PLANT (A SUBJECT OF PARAGRAPH 3 OF OUR TELNO 3209) WAS WELL RECEIVED. THE LEGCO MEMBER, PROFESSOR POON CHUNG-KWONG, SAID THAT HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF INVOCATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) ORDINANCE IF LECCO WAS NOT GIVEN THE INFORMATION REQUESTED BY THE MOTION. HE NEVERTHELESS CAUTIONED

Confidential

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