Archive

1986 Apr 29 - 1992 Sep 21
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/3656
Disasters (Chernobyl: Soviet nuclear accident, 26 April 1986) (Part 1)

Document type: File list item
Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2017 Dec 29
Classification: Top Secret
Page count: 299
Any docs withheld? 9

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 20 of 39

Per page:
Date Valuesort descending Title
86 Apr 30 We Major Chernobyl: No.10 record of conversation (MT-Soviet Ambassador Zamyatin) [MT expresses great sympathy, regrets lack of information provided by Soviets] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 Apr 30 We Major Chernobyl: UKE Washington telegram 1127 to FCO (0830Z) ("Accident at nuclear power station at Chernobyl") [information available to US] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 Apr 30 We Major Chernobyl: UKE Moscow telegram to FCO ("Chernobyl nuclear accident: Soviet response") [belated briefing at MFA from "high-powered trio"] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 Apr 30 We Major Chernobyl: FCO telegram to UKE Warsaw ("Chernobyl") [prepared to help with evacuation of pregnant wives and young children of Embassy staff] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 2 Fr Major Chernobyl: No.10 telegram to MT's party in Seoul (updates) [prisons; nuclear accident; markets; Libya; plutonium; supplementary benefit and mortgage interest; ministerial visit] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 3 Sa Major Chernobyl: No.10 telegram to MT's party in Seoul (forwarding advice from Chief Scientific Adviser) [avoid saying similar accident could not happen in UK] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 3 Sa Major Chernobyl: No.10 telegram to MT's party in Seoul (forwarding advice from Walter Marshall) ["without any doubt at all ... the biggest disaster the nuclear industry has had"; re-fueling of some British reactors "comparable in concept"] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 5 Mo Major Chernobyl: No.10 message to MT's party in Tokyo ("Radioactive Milk"; radio interview with Chief Scientific Adviser) [Sellafield readings; radiation levels in milk declining] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 Jul 2 We Major Chernobyl: HM Ambassador to Moscow despatch ('Chernobyl') [course of events, Soviet handling, implications] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 16 Fr Major Chernobyl: Policy Unit minute for MT ("The Chernobyl Incident - Contingency Planning") ["some pretty maladroit footwork - especially in the initial stages"] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 7 We Major Chernobyl: Ingham minute for MT ("Post Chernobyl Presentation") [impression of buck-passing] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 4 Su Major Chernobyl: Armstrong minute for Powell ("Chernobyl: Nuclear Safety") [Japanese propose G7 should issue statement; likely to be on lines we wish] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 6 Tu Major Chernobyl: UKE Moscow telegram to FCO ("Nuclear accident in Chernobyl: round up of Soviet statements and comment") [Powell notes: "poor Soviet performance on their obligations"] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 13 Tu Major Chernobyl: UKE Moscow telegram to FCO ('Chernobyl') [new information given to western Ambassadors; "small step ... towards more sensible and civilised behaviour"] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 15 Th Major Chernobyl: UKE Moscow telegram to FCO ("Chernobyl nuclear accident: Gorbachev's speech") ["little new information and no real reassurance to the Soviet population on health hazards ... no real hint of apology or admission of possible failure or delay in handling the accident"] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 Apr 29 Tu Major Chernobyl: FCO telegram to UKE Moscow ("Chernobyl nuclear accident") [call on Ministry of Foreign Affairs and demand information; IAEA requirements] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 6 Tu Major Chernobyl: Cabinet Office minute for No.10 ("Arrangements to cope with the effects on the UK of Chernobyl") [Monitoring of Milk, Water Supplies, Air etc; Interdepartmental Coordination] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 7 We Major Chernobyl: Cabinet Office minute for No.10 ("Arrangements to cope with the effects on the UK of Chernobyl") [Interdepartmental Coordination - Department of the Environment resisting lead role] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 May 9 Fr Major Chernobyl: Cabinet Office minute for No.10 ('Chernobyl') [Department of the Environment statement; EC debating action on food imports from affected areas] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]
86 Jun 6 Fr Major Chernobyl: Cabinet Office minute for Home Secretary ("The Lessons of Chernobyl") [Civil Contingencies Unit to consider lessons and "prepare appropriate new plans for the future"] ​​​​​​​[released Dec 2017]