TNAG-1657-FCO40-2305-Daya-Bay-nuclear-power-station-project-safety-concerns-in-Ho-1987 — Page 67

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FM HONG KONG

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TELNO 1162

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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, INDUS

OUR TELNO: 3854: NUCLEAR SAFETY: PUBLIC OPINION ON DAYA BAY

THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST HAS ENGAGED A MARKET RESEARCH COMPANY TO CONDUCT A SERIES OF PUBLIC OPINION POLLS ON DAYA BAY. THE RESULTS OF THE LAST POLL, CONDUCTED IN OCTOBER 1986, WERE DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 9 OF TUR.

2. WE ARE NOW SENDING TO YOU AND PEKING AN ARTICLE FROM THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST OF 23 MARCH ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS OF A RECENT PUBLIC OPINION POLL. BRIEFLY, THE POLL REVEALS THAT 53 PER CENT OF THE RESPONDENTS MAINTAIN THAT THE DAYA BAY PROJECT SHOULD NOT PROCEED. ANOTHER 40 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS ACCEPT THAT THE PROJECT SHOULD BE BUILT BUT THERE IS A NEED FOR MORE SAFETY INFORMATION. THE POST ACCORDINGLY COMES TO THE VIEW THAT MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG STILL HAVE WORRIES OVER THE PROJECT AND A MAJORITY BELIEVE IT SHOULD NOT BE BUILT OR SHOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL MORE ASSURANCES ON ITS SAFETY ARE GIVEN.

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