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MDLIAN 151
INFORMATION 'MUST BEAR THE FULL CONSEQUENCES (INCLUDING THE INTERRUPTION OF THE EXCHANGE OF THE EMERGENCY INFORMATION).' WE TOLD THAT SUCH A PROVISO WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND EXPLAINED TO THEM AT LENGTH THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION PROMPTLY AND REGULARLY, IN ORDER TO EASE PUBLIC CONCERN IN THE EVEN OF AN ACCIDENT AT THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER STATION.
4. THE GUANGDONG SIDE INSISTED THAT, WITHOUT A GUARANTEE ON THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO ANY MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH US ON ON-SITE MATTERS. FURTHERMORE, THEY MIGHT ALSO BE FORCED TO ADOPT A NARROW INTERPRETATION OF THE IAEA CONVENTION ON EARLY NOTIFICATION, AND PROVIDE ONLY THE MINIMUM INFORMATION REQUIRED UNDER THE CONVENTION. ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY SAID THAT IF WE WOULD AGREE TO THE INCLUSION OF SUCH A GUARANTEE, THEY WERE PREPARED TO 'MAKE A VERY POSITIVE RESPONSE' TO OUR OTHER CONCERNS ON ON-SITE MATTERS.
5. WE EXPLAINED THAT, WHILE WE UNDERSTOOD THEIR WISH THAT SOME INFORMATION SHOULD REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL, WE MUST BE IN A POSITION TO MAKE ADEQUATE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. FURTHERMORE, IT WAS WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT IN ANY BILATERAL AGREEMENT, IF ONE SIDE BREACHED THE AGREEMENT, THE OTHER SIDE MIGHT THEN RECONSIDER ITS POSITION UNDER THE AGREEMENT. THE WRITTEN GUARANTEE THEY SOUGHT SUGGESTED MISTRUST, AND WAS UNNECESSARY AND UNREASONABLE. WE ALSO FOUND THE WORDING AND TONE OF THEIR PROPOSAL UNNECESSARILY OFFENSIVE.
6. THEY PERHAPS REALISED THAT THEIR DEMANDS WERE UNREASONABLE AND ACCEPTED THAT WE WOULD HAVE REAL DIFFICULTIES IN AGREEING TO THEIR PROPOSAL. AS A COMPROMISE, THEY SUGGESTED MAKING THE GUARANTEE CLAUSE MORE SPECIFIC. A COPY OF THEIR REVISED PROPOSAL ALSO FOLLOWS BY FAX. WITHOUT COMMITTING OURSELVES, WE AGREED CAREFULLY TO CONSIDER THEIR PROPOSAL. WE ALSO ASKED THEM TO RECONSIDER THEIR POSITION.
7. ALL THIS BROUGHT US TO THE MORNING OF THE LAST DAY OF TALKS. WE THEN PROPOSED TO PROCEED TO THE DISCUSSION OF ON-SITE MATTERS. THEY DID NOT AGREE, SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOW INSUFFICIENT TIME, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE FOUR NEW MEMBERS ON THE GUANGDONG TEAM, WHO, WE BELIEVE, ATTENDED THE MEETING ESPECIALLY FOR THE DISCUSSION OF ON-SITE MATTERS. THEY INCLUDED A FAIRLY SENIOR EMPLOYEE OF THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER JOINT VENTURE COMPANY AND
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