GREENPEACE SHIP DENIED RIGHT TO SAIL - ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP FORCED TO STOP ITS OPERATIONS IN CAPE HORN

11 January 2001

Ushuaia - Greenpeace announced today that it was forced to cancel its plans to sail from Ushuaia searching for the Pacific Swan and its deadly nuclear cargo in the waters around Cape Horn because of a confused situation between the Chilean authorities and the owners of the ship chartered by the environmentalists.

Greenpeace had announced its sailing from Ushuaia for 16h00 on Wednesday. After an initial delay of 5 hours to obtain the necessary authorizations to leave, the captain of the vessel received the order to return to Punta Arenas from the shipping company. According to declarations of the shipping company, the vessel is usually allowed to sail along the route planned for this searching expedition. In this light, the demand of the Chilean authorities appears unusual and suspicious.

After intense negotiations and proposal to try to solve the situation, at 23h30 (local time), the environmental group was forced to cancel its expedition in search of the Pacific Swan. "It is hard to say what happened", said Juan Carlos Villalonga, nuclear campaigner for Greenpeace Argentina. "It is clear that there has been external pressure, creating a situation which both the owners of the vessel and some authorities found difficult to handle".

Greenpeace had chartered the Lenadura, a 32 metres tug-boat from the Chilean company Ultramar. Ultramar is one of the largest maritime agencies in Chile, it operates dozens of vessels in the region and is one of the few companies in the region who owned a vessel adapted for Greenpeace's purpose.

"Unfortunately we've lost precious time in fruitless negotiations, and now we have no other alternative than abandoning the project, as there are no vessels available in the region that would be suitable", added Ruy Goes, from Greenpeace Brazil, crew member of the chartered vessel. "It is all very unclear: the vessel could leave Chile with no problems, but once Greenpeace's goals were made public, the authorities demanded the vessel to head back immediately".

"Despite these difficulties, Greenpeace will continue its battle against the plutonium industry", added Villalonga. "We want the government to comply immediately with the court injunction and to deny the Pacific Swan access to Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This means that the authorities must ban this nuclear shipment immediately as it has been sailing within the 200 miles zone".

According to the information released by the Argentine Navy in Ushuaia this morning, the Pacific Swan was sighted sailing within the EEZ limit in front of the Patagonian coasts.

Greenpeace also alerted that the Argentine Government has been withholding information by not revealing the position of the Pacific Swan. "The Government is acting as a supporter of this secret operation: they know where this shipment is, however they only release partial information, contributing to the lack of transparency shown by the UK, France and Japan", said Villalonga.

Despite today's events, Greenpeace expressed its intention to continue its campaign against nuclear transports. "Further transports are planned and if the governments of Chile and Argentina don't send a clear message of opposition to the use of the Cape Horn route and take strong measures to avoid the use of their EEZs, they will be opening up a nuclear highway for this and future shipments ".

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Juan Carlos Villalonga, Greenpeace Argentina, mobile (+54) 11 51 094 166
- Martin Prieto, Greenpeace Argentina, mobile (+54) 11 44 280 597
- Luisa Colasimone, Press Office, (+54) 11 41 444 835

Interviews are available in Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, Italian, German.

Footage and stills available - please contact (+54) 11 44 280 597 or (+54) 11 51 094 104

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