GREENPEACE TO STRENGTHEN PRESENCE IN ASIA WITH NEW OFFICES IN THAILAND AND INDIA

27 March 2000

AMSTERDAM -- Greenpeace, one of the world's largest environmental groups, will strengthen its presence in Asia by opening two new offices in the region. The offices in New Delhi, India, and in Bangkok, Thailand, increase the total number of Greenpeace’s Asia offices to four. Greenpeace already has offices in Hong Kong and Japan.

"Asia is emerging as one of the key arenas in the battle to save the planet. Ecological security for the planet will not be won without Asian involvement. The challenge for Greenpeace is to encourage Asian nations to plan their economic development using ecologically sustainable technologies, rather than the inappropriate and environmentally destructive technologies the West would like to foist on them," said Greenpeace International Executive Director Thilo Bode.

The announcement was made by Dr. Bode in Hong Kong from the flagship Rainbow Warrior, preparing to leave for Japan as a part of Greenpeace’s ongoing campaign for Toxic Free Asia.

"Many Asian countries are still well placed to avoid dirty technologies," said Von Hernandez, Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner in South East Asia. "However, some foreign governments, aid agencies and industry promoters see the Asia region as a marketing opportunity to sell expensive and polluting technologies, or to get rid of technologies no longer desirable in their own countries."

"We call on Asian governments to reject foreign funding for dirty and inappropriate technologies," said Nityanand Jayaraman, Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner in India. "Investment in waste prevention, source separation, composting and recycling, for example, would alleviate the need for expensive incineration technology and generate many new jobs."

Although this is the first time Greenpeace sets up permanent offices in the region, the group has already been conducting campaigns for several years on toxic and energy issues, and established working relationships with local environmental groups and a large network of voluntary supporters both in India and in South East Asia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Thilo Bode, Executive Director of Greenpeace International, via Luisa Tam, Press Officer, Greenpeace China, Tel: +852 90967101 or +852 28548300;
- Lyn Goldsworthy, Regional Development Manager, South and South East Asia, Greenpeace International, Tel: +61 412 300 642;
- Nityanand Jayaraman, Greenpeace Campaigner in India, Tel: +91 9820194022.
- Von Hernandez, Greenpeace Campaigner in South East Asia, Tel: +63 917 526 3050;
- Teresa Merilainen, Greenpeace International, Press Officer, Tel: +31 20 5236637.

Follow Greenpeace's Toxic Free Asia Tour on the web: www.greenpeace.org/~toxics/toxfreeasia