People of Polynesia Thanked for Anti-Nuke Support

[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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>> GREENPEACE THANKS PEOPLE OF POLYNESIA FOR ANTI-NUCLEAR
SUPPORT
 
AUCKLAND, March 29 1996 (GP) The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow
Warrior and her sister ship MV Greenpeace called into
Rarotonga, the Cook Islands on Tuesday (April 26th) this week,
to thank the people of Polynesia for their support in the
campaign against French nuclear testing.
 
The two vessels, seized by the French military in September
last year, were released by the French authorities from Hao
atoll last week. They called into Rarotonga the day after
France, Britain and the United States signed the South Pacific
Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, also known as the Treaty of
Rarotonga.
 
The two vessels were welcomed by a representative of the Cook
Islands Government, a group of Cook Island dancers, school
children, and community leaders.
 
Greenpeace's Janet Dalziell said the port call at Rarotonga
was an opportunity to acknowledge the role of Cook Island
people and their government in advancing the Treaty of
Rarotonga and in supporting the anti-nuclear cause.
 
In a letter to Greenpeace, Cook Islands Prime Minister Sir
Geoffrey Henry said:
 
"A great many governments, organisations and people have

campaigned for many years against the testing, not the least
of which being the Cook Islands and Greenpeace.  I am
convinced that our combined efforts made a significant
contribution to the decision to halt testing.  However, our
efforts must not stop until the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
is concluded, and each of us must continue to do whatever we
can to make that a
reality."
 

Janet Dalziell said France and the other nuclear powers must
now act responsibly and ensure China -- now the major obstacle
to a comprehensive test ban treaty -- heard the message that
continued testing was unacceptable. Greenpeace is urging
people to write to Chinese Premier Li Peng to oppose China's
on-going testing programme and its insistence on continued
"peaceful nuclear explosions".
 
ENDS
Further information:  Stephanie Mills or Janet Dalziell +64 9
376 5687 or 025 790 817.

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