E. Telegraph: Britons to be told where Millennium Bug will bite

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ISSUE 1572 Tuesday 14 September 1999

Britons to be told where Millennium Bug will bite By Robert Shrimsley, Chief Political Correspondent

NATIONS unprepared for the Millennium Bug will be named by the Foreign Office today in a move that risks a diplomatic row with the countries criticised.

Information on 50 nations will be posted on its web site this morning and 75 other countries will be added soon. The report will be accompanied by new travel advice telling Britons to avoid at least one country - Ukraine - over the New Year and offering warnings on others.

Countries facing adverse reports include Russia, Indonesia, Uganda, Pakistan, India and Northern Cyprus. In the European Union, there are warnings about the bug's impact on remote areas of Spain and Italy.

Ministers are so concerned that the report might provoke rows that it is being released to coincide with a similar survey in America. One ministerial source rejected the much-used Labour term "naming and shaming" but admitted that travellers would see it that way.

John Battle, foreign office minister, stressed that there would be no "league tables" or ranking in the report. He said: "But it is important that we are providing the best service to British nationals overseas or who want to go overseas."

The Foreign Office is advising against all non-essential travel to Ukraine "until the situation becomes clearer". Travellers to Egypt are warned to check their insurance and have cash for emergencies. On the Russian Federation, the report will voice concerns about two thirds of the 600 airports, adding that they "are sure to have some Year 2000 difficulties".

There are worries about Russian nuclear industry software but the web site will report Russian confidence that it will be ready. Travel advice for Japan indicates the risk of "limited disruption" to parts of the economy "notably the health sector". On China, it is not possible yet to offer an accurate assessment.

Within the EU, the state of readiness is generally satisfactory but there are concerns about Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal. Italy faces disruption to rail travel and water supply.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/travel/

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 14, 1999

Answers

Old Git...

If you wouldn't mind, could you send me an e-mail from your real address, so I can send you something? I would like your perspective on a particular matter...

-- (pshannon@inch.com), September 14, 1999.


Dang! Guess I'll have to cancel those winter vacation plans to the Ukraine.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), September 14, 1999.

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