IYCC Conference Call(2)
2000/1/1 13:00
Conference Call Between
Y2K National Coordinators
Time: 12:00 1 January 2000
Venue: Operating Room, B1F
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Representatives from Japan, Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Chile, the European Commission, the Energy Section of Europe, United States, Iceland, Morocco, United Kingdom, the United Nations, Bulgaria and Mexico were present on the 1 January 12:00 (Japan time) conference call.
Director of the International Y2K Cooperation Center Bruce McConnell noted that some countries participating in the conference call had not yet experienced the roll over but no reporting countries had experienced a yellow or red situation.
The representative from Bulgaria stated that reports she had received from regions of Central Europe and Asia noted no significant problems. The Government of the Netherlands, according to the representative from the Netherlands, has released an official statement that the situation there is green. The finance and rail sectors there have been tested.
The representatives from Iceland and Morocco also noted no problems, but both cautioned that some services have not been tested live as the first post-holiday business day commences tomorrow.
The representative from the United Kingdom observed that the situation there is also green.
The US representative reiterated that the slot machines situation in Delaware is being corrected. He pointed out that three US nuclear plants have experienced minor non-Y2K-related problems but they are seriously investigating those situations nonetheless. Two of the three nuclear plants in question are operating and one is still being monitored.
Mexico also reported that the situation is green and added that Mexico is actually experiencing an increase in air traffic during the period of 12/30-12/31 this year as compared to last year.
Mr. Ishikawa stated that he is inclined to believe that situations at two Japanese nuclear power plants are not Y2K related because the same situations arose in November and December of last year. One problem related to a contingency report circuit and the other to monitored air and seawater temperature reporting. He observed that the situations, however, are presenting a public relations problem as the press, in particular the European press, is attempting to relate the situations to substantive safety issues of the plants themselves, which is inaccurate. He wanted to pass on this experience to other coordinators to help them avoid similar press relation situations. Mr. McConnell requested an e-mail copy of the English-language version of the Japanese Government response to the situations at the two nuclear power plants in question.
*(Note: The e-mail copy was sent out just after the telephone conversation).
Mr. Taniguchi noted that many of the countries of Southeast Asia have reported no Y2K-related problems to him.
The representative from the Republic of Korea acknowledged that the situation there is green, however, he stated that he had not received confirmation from the Korean energy sector.
The representative from the European Union noted a minor glitch in Spain concerning the inability of workers at a certain power plant to access some information, but no significant problems existed among member states. At the same time, he observed that he could not confirm the situation in the finance sector as it is not yet a business day.
Mr. McConnell summarized that reports have been received from 123 countries and that for the countries that have rolled over, 76 reports have been delivered. He noted that he had contacted Indonesia.
The representative from the Netherlands desired that the process of releasing reports from members to the public be speeded up if possible, as the reports are time sensitive. In response, Mr. McConnell noted the large volume of reports being processed, but he hoped all reports would be released within eight hours from the time of this conference call.
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