CONFIDENTIAL
071520
MDHI 6200
PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. BY PRE-ARRANGEMENT WITH THE GUANGDONG SIDE, THEY DID NOT CONTRADICT THIS. WE ALSO MADE CLEAR (AND THE GUANGDONG SIDE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ORALLY) THAT, IF ASKED, WE WOULD REFLECT OUR UNILATERAL STATEMENT IN OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THEY UNDERTOOK NOT TO CONTRADICT WHAT WE SAID IN PUBLIC.
COMMENT.
4. THIS IS A WELCOME AND HARD WON OUTCOME. THE GUANGDONG
AUTHORITIES HAVE NOW EXPLICITLY UNDERTAKEN TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION WE WOULD NEED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC IN THE EVENT OF ANY INCIDENT AT DAYA BAY WITH CONSEQUENCES FOR HONG KONG. THIS COMMITMENT COVERS NOT ONLY THE ESTABLISHED FACTS ABOUT ANY INCIDENT (E.G. DETAILS OF RADIOACTIVITY RELEASES), BUT ALSO ALL ESTIMATES AND FORECASTS RELEVANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INCIDENT AND ITS POSSIBLE EFFECTS ON HONG KONG. THE REACTOR BEGAN OPERATING IN AUGUST. HAD WE GONE MUCH LONGER WITHOUT AGREED ARRANGEMENTS OF THIS KIND, THE PUBLIC CONCERN WHICH HAS LONG BEEN SIMMERING IN HONG KONG
COULD HAVE BOILED OVER.
5.
THE ARRANGEMENTS ON CONFIDENTIALITY ARE NOT IDEAL. THE FORMULA IN THE CONSENSUS PAPER IS AT BEST TO FUDGE AND WOULD NOT BY ITSELF HAVE MET OUR NEEDS. THE CRUCIAL ELEMENT FOR US IS THE UNILATERAL STATEMENT WE MADE BEFORE SIGNATURE OF THE MOU. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THIS, AND THE AGREEMENT OF THE GUANGDONG SIDE NOT (NOT) TO CONTRADICT IT, GIVES US SUFFICIENT BASIS TO RELEASE INFORMATION PROVIDED (EVEN IN CONFIDENCE) BY THE GUANGDONG SIDE IF WE JUDGE IT NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. IF BECAME CLEAR IN THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT THIS WAS THE BEST WE COULD DO. HAD WE INSISTED ON A CLEAR CHINESE COMMITMENT IN THE MOU TO ALLOW US TO OVERRIDE CONFIDENTIALITY, WE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE LOST THE ENTIRE ARRANGEMENT.
6.
WE ALSO AGREED TO ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THE SIGNATURE OF THE MOU AND THE GENERAL AREAS COVERED. BOTH SIDES WILL ISSUE IDENTICAL TEXTS AROUND 1800 HOURS (HONG KONG TIME) ON 22 SEPTEMBER. THIS MAY GENERATE CONSIDERABLE INTEREST. IF ASKED ABOUT THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE GUANGDONG SIDE, WE WILL SPEAK FROM THE UNILATERAL STATEMENT.
TEXTS OF THE STATEMENT, THE AGREED PASSAGE ON INFORMATION RELEASE IN THE RELEVANT CONSENSUS PAPER, AND THE PRESS RELEASE FOLLOW IN MIFT.
7.
2
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.