GREENPEACE RUSSIA PICKET THE US EMBASSY IN MOSCOW

Moscow, 3 November 1997.

Today Greenpeace Russia picketed the US Embassy in Moscow. The action became part of the Greenpeace International campaign worldwide on bringing pressure on Washington in order to make it cut greenhouse gases. Twenty activists unfurled a banner, reading in English and Russian 'President ClintO2n, Act Now - Save Climate!' The banner showed the Statue of Liberty, frying the planet with her flare. Activists gave leaflets and balloons with markings 'CO2 Made in USA' to the passers-by.

This action was carried out on the threshold of the Kyoto summit on climate change. President Clinton is going to submit a plan, according to which the U.S. will be obliged to stabilise greenhouse gases at the level of 1990 only by the years 2008-2012. At the same time the European Union believes that this level should be achieved already by the year 2000 and calls for a 15 per cent reduction by 2010 from the 1990 level. Greenpeace goes further and demands a 20% cut of greenhouse gases by 2005.

'Five years ago at the Rio Summit, Bill Clinton and Al Gore called the Bush White House an 'obstacle to progress', after it refused to support mandatory curbs on greenhouse gases. In June this year Clinton promised to bring to Kyoto proposals on a 'significant' reduction of releases. Greenpeace expresses its bewilderment and disappointment in connection with the Clinton administration moving backwards and itself becoming an obstacle to progress', spokesman for Greenpeace Russia said.

Greenpeace believes that a global agreement on this problem cannot be achieved until the US take urgent and really significant measures, as the country produces over 25% of world greenhouse gases. 'If this doesn't happen, the Kyoto summit will be highly futile', Greenpeace press-secretary added.

The picket was well-organised. Passers-by showed interest in the action and willingly took the leaflets, which were given 200 pieces in 15 first minutes of the action alone. Militiamen, whose number exceeded the number of the picket participants, were quite polite and didn't create any problems for the activists.