The armed British nuclear transport ship Pacific Pintail sailing into the Takahama port on the 14/06/02
Japan and the UK were condemned and isolated for their shameful
nuclear waste MOX shipment by the 78 nations of the
Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) Summit in their final Declaration
today.
The Nadi Declaration of the Third Summit of ACP Heads of State
and Government says:
"We express our strong objection to the transport of nuclear and
other hazardous materials through the waters around ACP states. We
call for the immediate cessation of such practice, in order to
prevent any occurrence of accidents that could seriously threaten
their sustainable development and the health of their peoples."
"Greenpeace congratulates and applauds the African Caribbean and
Pacific Governments for taking this courageous and strong stance on
this issue," said Nuclear campaigner, Angenette Heffernan. "We
recognise that many of these countries have donor aid relationships
with the shipping nations, but they have gone ahead and expressed
their strong opposition, prioritising their concerns over the
devastating health and environmental consequences of allowing these
shipments to continue. Japan, the UK and Australia can no longer
use their aid to force countries into accepting these lethal
shipments through their waters."
"This is a huge set-back to British Nuclear Fuels and the
Japanese nuclear industry," said Greenpeace International nuclear
campaigner, Simon Boxer. "This unequivocal statement by a huge
block of nations effectively closes off all their existing shipping
routes for nuclear materials. The shipping nations, including
Australia, must now recognise that they have to cease their
unjustifiable nuclear trade."
Pacific Governments opposed to the shipments are now looking to
the Pacific Islands Forum to further their opposition. The
Government of Vanuatu has just released a statement, which
"condemn(s) future plans to use the Pacific Ocean as a highway for
nuclear waste shipments and will be calling on the Pacific Island
Leaders Forum in Fiji next month to adopt a stronger position on
this critical matter."
"The strong stance taken at this meeting must be translated into
effective action at the South Pacific Forum next month," said
Heffernan. "The double standards of Australia within the Pacific
Islands Forum, as a nuclear waste shipping nation must not be
allowed to undermine the resolve of Pacific Island nations at the
Forum."
The two ships, Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal, carrying 255
kgs of weapons-usable material were found today by Greenpeace well
within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of New Caledonia, at
coordinates 20 degrees, 31 minutes South and 163 degrees, 10
minutes East at around 12noon Fiji time [23.22 GMT]. In the last
week they have also breached the EEZs of the Federated States of
Micronesia, the Solomons, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.