TNAG-1497-FCO40-2055-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 255

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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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