G7 LEADERS MUST THROW WEIGHT BEHIND CTBT - GREENPEACE:

Urgent compromise needed to complete treaty on time

LYON, June 27th, 1996:

Greenpeace is calling on the leaders of the key nuclear and industrial states, gathering for a G-7 Summit meeting in Lyon, France today, to make the compromises needed if a Comprehensive nuclear Test Ban Treaty is to be agreed to this week.

Only two days remain for delegates to the CTBT in Geneva to finish the final text if the treaty is to be ready for signing in September as agreed by the United Nations last year.

A failure to compromise on how the treaty will eventually Enter into Force, could mean that delegates will miss the end of June deadline.

On Tuesday, Pakistan reiterated its position - in common with the UK, Russia and China - that before the treaty can Enter into Force all five nuclear weapons states PLUS the three "threshold" states, India, Pakistan and Israel must sign the treaty.

India however has made it clear that is would not subscribe to a treaty that specified India's signing as a pre-condition of the treaty taking effect.

"Unless a compromise can be found between these two positions the CTBT will not be ready for signing on time," Greenpeace Disarmament campaigner Josh Handler said.

"Britain, France and the USA - three of the five nuclear weapons states - are represented at the G-7 in Lyon and they will be joined by Russia. These leaders must take steps to ensure the CTBT is finalised by Friday."

"Clinton, Chirac, Major, and company could solve these remaining problems in an instant," he said. "The world wants and needs a CTBT now."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Josh Handler in Amsterdam on +31.20.523.62.67.; mobile +31.653.41.79.46.

or

Simon Carroll at the CTBT in Geneva on +41.21.728.52.25. or mobile +41.79.213.70.67.