Nuke Free Zone Signing Opportunity for Further Disarmament

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      Nukes Disarm (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Adm)
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               GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> NUCLEAR FREE ZONE SIGNING OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER
DISARMAMENT
 
SUVA, March 25th, 1996 (GP) France, Britain and the United
States should use today's signing of the South Pacific Nuclear
Free Zone Treaty to make further commitments to global nuclear
disarmament, Greenpeace Pacific said today.
 
The South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty bans nuclear
testing and commits states in the region to remain non-
nuclear.
 
Greenpeace Pacific's Media Officer, Dennis Rounds said the
three nuclear powers should deepen their commitment to nuclear
disarmament by placing pressure on China to agree a
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty text by the end of June.
China is currently a major obstacle to conclusion of the
treaty because of its decision to continue nuclear testing
this year and its insistence on having "peaceful" nuclear
explosions exempted from the Treaty.
 
"France, the US and Britain should exercise leadership by
ensuring China comes to the table," he said. "Chinese Premier
Li Peng must hear from the international community in the same
way that France did, that continued testing is unacceptable,
and is jeopardising the conclusion of a test ban treaty."
 
He said Greenpeace was calling on its members globally to
write to Premier Li Peng to ensure that the Chinese
authorities were aware of people's opposition to nuclear
testing wherever it took place.
 
Rounds said while Greenpeace Pacific welcomed the signing of
the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, there was a need
for the Treaty to be expanded.
 
"To make the Pacific genuinely nuclear free, it is also time
the Treaty is broadened to protect the Pacific from transits
of nuclear ships and vessels carrying plutonium and nuclear
waste," he said.
 
He said the three nuclear powers that had tested in the
Pacific had a responsibility to monitor and address the long-
term consequences of the testing programmes at Moruroa,
Fangataufa, Australia and in the Marshall Islands.
 
"Signing the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty alone is
not enough," he said. "It is time for the nuclear powers to
commit to a timetable for further steps toward nuclear
disarmament, with the goal of the elimination of all nuclear
weapons."
 
ENDS
Further information:  Dennis Rounds +679 312 861
Stephanie Mills, Auckland +64 9 630 6317
Bunny McDiarmid/Arnaud Apoteker +689 43 32 82

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