Canada Must Choose Disarmament Commitments

[The.Greenbase@gb.greenpeace.org]

CANADA MUST CHOOSE DISARMAMENT COMMITMENTS, GREENPEACE SAYS

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                    GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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CANADA MUST CHOOSE DISARMAMENT COMMITMENTS, GREENPEACE SAYS

Tuesday, May 8:- Canada must choose an extension option
for the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) tomorrow which requires a
timetable for nuclear disarmament from the nuclear weapon
states, Greenpeace said today.

The NPT Conference meets Wednesday afternoon [3pm New York
time] to decide, either by consensus or vote, on the extension of
the Treaty.  There are three proposals for extension on the
table:  indefinite extension, indefinite extension with
commitments to nuclear disarmament, or 25 year rolling periods
with commitments to nuclear disarmament.

"If Canada is to be true to its stated commitment to nuclear
disarmament, it  must chose an option demanding specific
commitments from the nuclear weapon states,"  Steve Shallhorn of
Greenpeace said.  "Otherwise, Canada must take responsibility for
failing to ensure any accountability from the nuclear weapon
states, and for making no  progress toward nuclear disarmament at
this conference.  It will be seen as an historic opportunity
missed."

Shallhorn said Canada must prove its calls for nuclear
disarmament were more than empty rhetoric.  "The option
countries choose to support will sort the sheep from the goats in
terms of those countries genuinely commited to nuclear
disarmament, and those who just talk about it," Steve Shallhorn
said.  "Witha resumption of French nuclear testing imminent, new
British nuclear submarines going on patrol, modernisation of
nuclear arsenals in other nuclear weapon states and  growing
stockpiles of weapons-usable plutonium being trafficked globally,
it is more urgent than ever that Canada puts its money where its
mouth is and acts to stop nuclear proliferation and push for
nuclear disarmament."

ENDS

For more information contact Steve Shallhorn - 416-597-8408