THE four-month delay in talks with China on Daya Bay power station accident notification could cause mainland authorities to lose interest, the Government has warned.
Security Branch Principal Assistant Secretary Andrew Kluth, responsible for setting a date for talks, said he was frustrated at the delay which had been caused by wrangles between Hong Kong government officials.
He said the argument was over details such as what could be said by whom. Asked if the problem was one of protocol, he said it was ''that sort of thing'', but refused to elaborate.
There was no argument over what the Hong Kong side wanted from China, he said. ''We know exactly what we want to talk about.'' The Security Branch was prepared to set a date about three months ago. Mr Kluth refused to say which government departments were to blame.
Under guidelines set by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Guangdong government nuclear authorities have agreed to notify the territory if there are accidents off-site - with radiation escaping to the atmosphere - or if they have the potential to leak out.
They have also agreed to tell Hong Kong of some types of accidents contained within the power station. But the Government wants to be told about more types of internal incidents.
Mr Kluth said he had received ''informal inquiries'' from the Chinese side on when talks, last held in February, would resume.
