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CONFIDENTIAL
33759- 1
CONSEQUENCES FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM. IT IS PARTICULARLY
CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF BRITISH CITIZENS IN OR NEAR THE
AFFECTED AREA. CURRENTLY THERE ARE SOME 100 BRITISH STUDENTS
AND TEACHERS RESIDENT IN MINSK AND KIEV. THERE ARE PROBABLY
ALSO OTHER BRITISH NATIONALS VISITING ON A SHORTER-TERM BASIS.
WE NEED FURTHER TO KNOW WHETHER THERE ARE ANY DANGERS FOR
BRITISH CITIZENS ELSEWHERE IN THE SOVIET UNION, EG AS A RESULT
OF CHANGING METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
3. WE HAVE NOW WISH TO PRY
INTO SOVIET INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
BUT IT WILL BE EVIDENT TO THE
SOVIET AUTHORITIES THAT THE MATTER IS OF LEGITIMATE MAJOR
CONCERN TO THE UK. IN ABSENCE OF INFORMATION PRESSURE IS
MOUNTING IN UK FOR EVACUATION OF THOSE CURRENTLY IN USSR AND
FOR OTHERS TO CANCEL PLANNED VISITS. SOVIET AUTHORITIES
WILL MOREOVER RECALL DISCUSSIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC
ENERGY AUTHORITY IN 1982-1984 WITH THE AIM OF PRODUCING
GUIDELINES ON COOPERATION AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN
GOVERNMENTS IN THE EVENT OF NUCLEAR EMERGENCIES SUCH AS
CHERNOBYL. BRITISH AND SOVIET EXPERTS PARTICIPATED FULLY IN
THIS SUCCESSFUL EXERCISE AND THE RESULTS MAY THEREFORE BE
PRESUMED TO HAVE THE BLESSING OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS.
4.
IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
RELEVANT IAEA GUIDELINES, WE NOW REQUEST ALL AVAILABLE FACTS
OF IMPORTANCE FOR ASSESSING THE SITUATION, INCLUDING:
A.
B.
IDENTIFICATION OF THE FACILITY INVOLVED.
THE NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT, THE TIME AT
WHICH IT OCCURRED AND ITS POSSIBLE
DEVELOPMENT.
C.
INFORMATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND
TERMINATION OF THE EMERGENCY.
D.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RELEASE.
E.
INFORMATION ON METEOROLOGICAL AND
HYDROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, NECESSARY FOR
FORECASTING THE DISPERSON AND DILUTION OF
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