Press release - 2 December, 2004
Recognising the increased threat of nuclear Armageddon and the near collapse of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, the UN Panel on Security failed to adequately address the problem Greenpeace warned today.
"While the UN Panel makes it clear that the nuclear
non-proliferation regime is perilously close to collapse, instead
of addressing the threat, it continues to peddle the dangerous myth
of peaceful civil nuclear technology," said Tom Clements of
Greenpeace International.
According to the report "at least 60 states currently operate or
are constructing nuclear power or research reactors, and at least
40 possess the industrial and scientific infrastructure, which
would enable them ... to build nuclear weapons at relatively short
notice." It further recognises that "it has become clear in recent
years that the proliferation risks from the enrichment of uranium
and from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel are great and
increasing. These two processes in particular provide a route by
which Treaty signatories can (and in some cases have) clandestinely
pursued ... acquiring a nuclear weapons capability." Yet the Panel
promotes the 50 year myth of "Atoms for Peace" in up holding the
"right" of the 168 countries signed up to the UN Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to "develop the research, production
and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes."
"Civil nuclear technology, know-how, and materials are the
building blocks of nuclear proliferation. International separation
and trade in nuclear materials is the department store for nuclear
materials diversion and possible terrorist use," warned Clements.
Greenpeace recognises the complexity of controlling the spread of
nuclear weapons; however, there are many steps that can be taken
now to reduce the threat. For example, Greenpeace is calling for an
immediate ban on the production and separation of all nuclear
weapons-usable nuclear materials.
While the Panel cites climate change as one reason why the
States may wish to keep the nuclear option open, Greenpeace
believes that nuclear power has no role to play in avoiding
catastrophic climate change and that a combination of climate
friendly peaceful renewable energy sources and energy efficiency is
the only way to address the twin threats of climate change and
nuclear proliferation. "A nuclear winter is no solution to global
warming," said Clements.
Greenpeace shares the Panel's view that "Lacklustre disarmament
by the nuclear-weapon states weakens the diplomatic force of the
non-proliferation regime and thus its ability to constrain
proliferation." Instead of upgrading their nuclear arsenals the
five recognised nuclear power - U.S., U.K., France, China and
Russia - should immediately meet their own commitments under the
Treaty to "move towards disarmament."