Greenpeace today welcomed the signing of the Southeast
Asian Nuclear Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty as further
evidence that nuclear weapons are unacceptable to the
majority of the world's nations.
Greenpeace congratulated the leaders of the Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysia, Indonesia,
Philippines, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand who
signed the Treaty, along with Burma, Cambodia and Laos.
all ten countries have now pledged not to manufacture,
possess, test or use nuclear weapons.
The environment group said the decision by the Southeast
Asian nations was a major step forward, and called on the
five Nuclear Weapons States to demonstrate their
commitment to disarmament by signing the appropriate
protocols of the Treaty. With Latin America and the
Carribean, the South Pacific, and Antarctica all covered
by Nuclear Weapons Free Zones, the new SEANWFZ and the
anticipated African NWFZ shows the growing opposition to
nuclear weapons worldwide.
"The Nuclear Weapons States, and countries in which their
weapons are based, are becoming isolated outposts in a
world that wants genuine and rapid nuclear disarmament,"
said Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Ben Pearson.
"Clearly, an increasing number of the world's nations see
nuclear weapons not as something that will defend them,
but as something they need to be defended against.
"They are tired of the `balance of terror' and the false
doctrine of deterrence, and instead want meaningful
progress towards a nuclear weapons free world".
Greenpeace called on the five Nuclear Weapons States -
the UK, France, China, Russia and the US - to respect the
wishes of the people of South East Asia and immediate
ratify the protocols of the SEANWFZ Treaty. A refusal by
the Nuclear Weapons States to ratify the Treaty would
undermine it, and cast doubt on the commitment of the
Weapons States to disarmament.
"Under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the NWS are
obliged to work towards nuclear disarmament. Yet in the
25 years since the Treaty came into force they have made
little." said Pearson "Continued nuclear testing by China
and France, and the announcement by the United States
that it will conduct tests for nuclear weapons in 1996,
move us further away from that goal. A failure by the
Nuclear Weapons States to ratify this NWFZ Treaty will
once again underline the unwillingness of the Weapons
States to support real moves towards disarmament".
For more information or comment, contact Ben Pearson on
61 2 211 4066 (work)
61 2 398 3691 (home)
December 18th 1995
GREENPEACE WELCOMES SIGNING OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NUCLEAR
WEAPONS FREE ZONE TREATY - CALLS ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS
STATES TO RATIFY PROTOCOLS IMMEDIATELY