Greenpeace citizens' weapons inspection team catches U.S. red-handed

Press release - February 7, 2003

A Greenpeace assembled Citizens Weapons Inspection Team catch U.S. officials in the act of moving some of its weapons of mass destruction to avoid their gaze this morning.

A Greenpeace assembled Citizens' Weapons Inspection Team caught U.S. 'officials' in the act of moving some of its weapons of mass destruction to avoid their gaze this morning. The Inspection Team was on a routine visit to the U.S. Consulate but the visit coincided with an attempt by the ófficials'to sneak weapons through the back door.

As the Inspectors arrived at the Consulate, Greenpeace volunteers dressed in U.S. military fatigues and wearing Bush masks, carried two weapons of mass destruction towards them. The weapons of mass destruction bore the message 'From U.S. with Love'.

"The Citizens' Inspection Team was assembled in an effort to expose U.S. President George Bush's arbitrary and inconsistent policy on weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction must be eliminated in all other countries that possess them, including the U.S.," said Greenpeace cmpaigner, Lo Sze Ping. "In addition, we call upon the Hong Kong Government not to give any financial or other aid to the US brokered war on Iraq," Lo added.

"We believe the solution to weapons of mass destruction is collective international arms control and disarmament. The framework already exists, in the form of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention. But, rather than being strengthened, these global treaties are being undermined by all five permanent members of the Security Council, including the U.S.," said Lo.

Greenpeace is opposed to war in Iraq, whether or not an attack is sanctioned by the United Nations, because it would have devastating human and environmental consequences and is unlikely to contribute to global security. According to military and health experts, a conventional war could kill many thousands of people, mainly civilians, and many more could die from famine and disease.

U.S. President George Bush and U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair have cited Saddam Hussein's desire to acquire weapons of mass destruction as justification for an invasion. However, pre-emptive military strikes against states possessing or suspected of possessing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons do not provide a stable basis for controlling them.

Greenpeace has been protesting globally against the possible war on Iraq. Greenpeace is fundamentally opposed to war. As an organisation based on principles of peace and non-violence, it strongly believes that violence does not resolve conflict.

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