CONFIDENTIAL
16611
071520
MDHIAN 6200
TOP COPY Q DIST?
93
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1504
OF 221125Z SEPTEMBER 93
ра
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY UKMIŞ VIENNA
92
OUR TELNO 1479: DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION: CROSS BORDER TALKS.
SUMMARY.
1.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SIGNED WITH GUANGDONG AUTHORITIES ON EXCHANGE AND RELEASE OF INFORMATION IN THE EVENT OF OFF- SITE EMERGENCIES AT DAYA BAY. PRESS RELEASE ISSUED. CONFIDENTIALITY PROBLEM FINALLY RESOLVED IN A MANNER WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO ISSUE ANY INFORMATION WE JUDGE NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, AND TO MAKE CLEAR IN PUBLIC THAT WE WILL DO SO. A WELCOME AND HARD WON OUTCOME; SATISFACTORY THOUGH NOT IDEAL ON CONFIDENTIALITY.
DETAIL.
2.
THE SECOND PLENARY MEETING OF THE CROSS BORDER TALKS ON EMERGENCIES AT DAYA BAY TOOK PLACE IN HONG KONG FROM 20-22 SEPTEMBER. THE DISCUSSION FOCUSED ALMOST ENTIRELY ON
CONFIDENTIALITY. AFTER 22 HOURS OF HARD POUNDING NEGOTIATION IN WHICH AGREEMENT SEEMED AT TIMES BEYOND REACH, AND ON THE BASIS OF EXTENSIVE LEGAL ADVICE, WE FINALLY SETTLED ON THE FOLLOWING SOLUTION.
3. THE RELEVANT CONSENSUS PAPER AGREED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON
THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION ISSUE CONTAINS A PASSAGE WHICH COMMITS EACH SIDE TO HANDLING INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS BOTH OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND OF THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE IAEA CONVENTION ON EARLY NOTIFICATION OF A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT.
(COMMENT: ARTICLE 5 OF THE CONVENTION ALLOWS THE PROVIDER OF INFORMATION TO VETO PUBLIC DISSEMINATION BY THE RECIPIENT).
THE CONSENSUS PAPER WHICH IS NON-BINDING IS ONE OF 7 DOCUMENTS COVERED BY THE MOU. IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SIGNING THE LATTER, WE MADE A UNILATERAL INTERPRETATIVE STATEMENT EXPLAINING THAT WE WOULD BE OBLIGED TO RELEASE ANY INFORMATION WE JUDGED NECESSARY TO PROTECT
1
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