US embassy cable - 03THEHAGUE1728

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001728 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USEU BRUSSELS PLEASE PASS EST: S.HARDESTY 
 
FOR NP/NE FOR P COMELLA AND DOE/NNSA FOR R.HIBBS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KNNP, ENRG, TRGY, NL 
SUBJECT: HFR Petten: Results Of Survey On Preparedness 
 
REF. A) State 170856, B) The Hague 01611, C) Van 
 
Duijn/Hibbs email 6/23 
 
1. Local media recently reported the outcome of a 
survey on preparedness of the Petten HFR in dealing 
with calamities.  Since the issue is related to the 
physical protection discussions with the Dutch planned 
for July 10-July 11, we bring the news item to the 
attention of the Russell Hibbs team.  An unofficial 
translation of a newspaper article that appeared in the 
local daily newspaper Volkskrant of June 24 follows. 
 
2.  Quote: A recent survey by the Institute for Safety 
and Crisis Management (COT) reveals uncertainty about 
the lines of responsibility in dealing with a calamity 
at the high flux reactor (HFR) at Petten.  The COT 
survey, commissioned by the local municipality of 
Zijpen and the province of Noord-Holland, also shows 
that Zijpen authorities lack the capacity to deal with 
a crisis.  The HFR at Petten is owned by the EU's 
Common Research Center (GCO).  This means that Zijpe 
authorities are fully dependent on cooperation by the 
GCO in case of a calamity without the power to enforce 
that cooperation.  According to the COT survey, there 
is little communication between Zijpe authorities and 
the GCO.  The COT concludes that it is the Ministry of 
Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment (VROM) that 
should take the lead in solving this problem.  A VROM 
reaction will follow in the week of June 30, after 
publication of a technical safety report. Unquote. 
 
3. At the time of drafting this cable, post has not 
seen a VROM reaction to the COT report. 
 
4. Please note that in the absence of Todd Kushner, the 
embassy's control officer for the visit of the Nuclear 
Physical Protection Team to the HFR in Petten will be 
Jan Razoux Schultz of the Economic Section (office 
phone # 31 70 310 92 76, fax # 31 70 310 93 48, home 
phone 31 71 589 83 05, e-mail: 
razouxje(atsign)state.gov. Drafted:Econ/RazouxSchultz 
 
Baily