GREENPEACE SHUTS DOWN CONOCO RIG FOR 36 HOURS

17 June 2001

The North Sea, 1900hrs CST - After shutting down Conoco's 'K/18 Kotter' oil production platform 30 miles off the Dutch coast for 36 hours, Greenpeace took its activists off the rig and ended the occupation due to deteriorating weather conditions.

At 07.30 Saturday morning, five activists from the m/v Greenpeace boarded the rig which subsequently shut down operations. Weather conditions had deteriorated to a point where the activists could not be taken off safely if needed during the night.

This latest action against US oil interests caps a week of Greenpeace protests around US President Bush's visit to Europe, including actions against President Bush and US oil interests in France, Spain, Norway, Belgium, Sweden, The Netherlands and Slovenia. "We got what we wanted out of Gothenburg," said Greenpeace campaigner Paul Horsman from aboard the Greenpeace ship, referring to the EU Summit in the Swedish City. "The European Union has publicly stated that it will ratify the Kyoto Protocol with or without the United States. George Bush's administration is completely isolated on climate change, including from the majority of American people."

Greenpeace will now prepare for a new round of actions against US oil interests, in the lead up to the next round of climate negotiations, scheduled for July 16-27 in Bonn, Germany. "Now that the EU has spoken, in Bonn the global community must tell the United States that it has no choice but to protect the climate, rejoin the Kyoto Protocol, and stop pandering to the interests of the oil industry," said Horsman.

This action is part of Greenpeace's global campaign to pressure corporate America and George W Bush to work with the rest of the world to save the climate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
On board the MV Greenpeace:
Satellite Phone +873 1300310
Paul Horsman (English)
Matt Ewing (USA)
Joris Thijssen (Netherlands)

Amsterdam:
Steve Sawyer: +31 6 5350 4715
Susan Cavanagh: +31 6 2129 6910

Picture Desk - John Novis +31 653819121

See also Greenpeace's climate web site.