LA Court Sets Deadlines for France over Manutea Seizure

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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                   GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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LOS ANGELES COURT SETS DEADLINE FOR FRANCE OVER MANUTEA
SEIZURE
 
 
Los Angeles, February 27, 1996-(GP)-The Los Angeles Federal
District Court today refused a request by France to dismiss
Greenpeace's case for return of the Manutea, seized in
international waters during protests against France's nuclear
testing programme at Moruroa.
 
Instead, the judge set a deadline for France to formally agree
a set of facts with Greenpeace about the events at Moruroa by
March 12.   Greenpeace International's lawyer Duncan Currie
said the facts were very simple.
 
"France seized our boats in international waters during its
nuclear testing programme and continues to hold the Manutea at
Moruroa well after its nuclear tests are finished," he said. 
"France promised to obey international law during the protests
on the high seas, and now that Greenpeace holds it to account,
tries to hide behind sovereign immunity."
 
The next hearing to hear the substantive issues has been set
for April 22nd. However, France is continuing to claim

immunity from US courts since it is a sovereign state.
 
Yale University law professor Harold Koh, who argued the case
today with California lawyer Mark Serlin, described the French
behaviour as part of a consistent pattern of illegality and
cover-up.
 

"The illegal act was France's nuclear testing programme.  Now
the French authorities have moved into a cover-up phase by
punishing those who protested its acts and hiding behind
sovereign immunity to cover up its own illegal behaviour."
 
ENDS
 
Further information:  Stephanie Mills +64 9 630 6317 or +64 25
790 817 or Duncan Currie - leave a message on his voice mail
on +64 21 632 335 and he will return your call promptly.

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