UN maritime Body to Tighten Nuclear Transport Control

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

----------
Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
----------
                   ************************
                   GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
                   ************************
 
 
U.N. MARITIME BODY TO TIGHTEN CONTROL ON NUCLEAR TRANSPORTS   
 
LONDON, March 7, 1996 -- (GP) Greenpeace applauded a
declaration by 13 coastal nations demanding strict, mandatory
controls on nuclear transports at sea at the close of a
special International Maritime Organization (IMO) experts
meeting last night.   Greenpeace hailed the development as a
major step towards ending dangerous transports of plutonium
and nuclear waste.
 
"Plutonium trading countries such as Japan, France and Britain
can no longer hope to make their nuclear transports in secrecy
and without necessary safety measures," said Damon Moglen of
Greenpeace.  
 
"Coastal nations are no longer willing to be innocent
bystanders; they have heard the facts and been advised of
their legal rights, and they are now demanding mandatory
international controls on these shipments," said Nuclear
Control Institute's Paul Leventhal who served on the GP
delegation.
 
The dramatic declaration came at the end of a three day (March
4-6) Special Consultants Meeting on nuclear transports at the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London.  Key
funding for the meeting came from the French and British
governments--the primary transporters of irradiated nuclear
fuel, plutonium and nuclear waste.  
 
While Japanese, French and British government and industry
presentations sought to allay fears about their controversial
and secretive nuclear transports, the representatives of
enroute states were not convinced.
 
The enroute nation declaration was presented by the Argentine
delegation on behalf of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Cuba, Indonesia, Ireland, Solomon Islands, Mexico,
New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela.  The declaration called for
action in response to a number of basic enroute nations
"concerns" including lack of information, consultation and
notification.  The declaration calls for a "full code" to
cover all corrective measures discussed at the meeting.  They
demanded a "binding instrument" to replace the IMO's current
permissive, voluntary Code.
 
The Meeting's Chairman, G.A. Dubbeld of the Netherlands,
listed 11 specific safety and legal issues that the meeting
had identified as needing further action by IMO committees and
subcommittees.  These include: prior notification and
consultation on emergency-response requirements, preparation
of environmental impact assessments by the transporting
nations, adequacy of the packaging and ships used by the
transporters, and liability requirements for nuclear
transports.
 
IMO Secretary General W.A. O'Neill closed the meeting by
saying that he was "sure that action would be taken by various
elements of the IMO."
 
At the meeting, Greenpeace delegates Edwin Lyman of the
Nuclear Control Institute and John Van Dyke of the University
of Hawaii Law School presented studies on unresolved safety
and legal problems.
 
Greenpeace continues to campaign for an end to the
international trade and transport of highly dangerous nuclear
materials.  
 
Contact:
Damon Moglen, Greenpeace Paris: +33-1-4770-1605
Blair Palese, Greenpeace Communications: +44-171-833-0600.
Sharon Tanzer, Nuclear Control Institute: ++1-202-822-8444

----------