US Subcritical Test is Hypocritical, Greenpeace Says

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

US SUBCRITICAL TEST IS HYPOCRITICAL, GREENPEACE SAYS

(Washington DC) September 25th, 1998-- A "sub-critical" test of
a nuclear  warhead to be conducted in the Nevada Desert tomorrow
(Saturday 26th)  could provoke further nuclear proliferation
globally and violates the  spirit and intent of the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Greenpeace  says. "Rather
than testing the Ban," says Greenpeace Campaigns Director Lynn
Thorp, "the Clinton Administration should ban all tests."

The nuclear disarmament and environmental organization called on
the Clinton Administration to cancel all planned sub-critical
tests and to urge Russia to do likewise, after media reports
that preparations for such a test were taking place at Russia's
Arctic test site.

Greenpeace also urges President Clinton to focus its attention
on Senate Ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and
on concrete measures to begin elimination of nuclear weapons. 

The US sub-critical test, codenamed "Bagpipe", involves chemical
explosives and nuclear material but does not produce a sustained
chain reaction.  The tests thereby avoid technically violating
the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which aims to stop the
development of nuclear weapons.  While the US Government  argues
that sub-critical tests are intended to assist in maintaining 
the safety and reliability of existing nuclear arsenals, such
tests  have been widely criticized because they can contribute
to new  nuclear weapons designs and modifications.

Greenpeace says that, along with failure to ratify the CTBT,
these tests reinforce the concerns of many countries that the
United States is prepared to defy its legal obligations to
nuclear disarmament and maintain its nuclear arsenal for the
indefinite future.

The United States has a legal commitment, under the Non-
Proliferation Treaty, and confirmed by the International Court
of Justice in 1996, to disarm.  Instead, it is spending over $4
billion a year to maintain and refine its nuclear stockpile --
more than as spent during the Cold War.  Thorp said that it was
hypocritical for the United States to condemn India and
Pakistan's underground nuclear tests in May and then to proceed
with its own sub-critical experiments.

"India stated itself that its tests were conducted to provide
data for future  sub-critical experiments. The "do as we say not
as we do" policy of  the United States has failed to curb
nuclear proliferation.  Instead  other countries are imitating
the US example of maintaining and  upgrading its arsenal through
sub-critical experiment " Thorp said.  

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:  
Lynn Thorp, Greenpeace US, (202)319-2479 or (301) 277-3481
Stephanie Mills, Greenpeace International  +31 20 523 6222 Damon
Moglen, Greenpeace International Nuclear Campaign (202) 319-2409


Greenpeace on the Internet : http://www.greenpeace.org