From mosa@netcom.com Sat Oct 7 12:53:58 1995
From: mosa@netcom.com (Michele Lord)
To: dave@sgi
From: rich@pencil.math.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Subject: Greenpeace Asks EU To Sue France For Euratom Treaty Violation
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Date: 7 Oct 1995 01:50:44 GMT
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/** headlines: 128.0 **/
** Topic: Greenpeace Asks EU To Sue France For Euratom Treaty Violation **
** Written 9:28 PM Oct 4, 1995 by econet in cdp:headlines **
/* Written 6:15 PM Oct 4, 1995 by web:greenbas in gp.press */
/* ---------- "10/04 GP Asks EU to Sue France" ---------- */
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GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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GREENPEACE ASKS EU COMMISSION TO SUE FRANCE FOR VIOLATING EURATOM TREATY
Greenpeace continues Brussels vigil as European faxes come in
BRUSSELS, 4 October, 1995 (GP) Greenpeace today said France's
testing of nuclear weapons in French Polynesia is being conducted
in clear breach of obligations under Articles 34, 35 and 192 of
the Euratom Treaty. If the European Commission fails to take
legal action against France, the Commission itself will also be
in breach of its obligations under the Treaty.
Defying the Commission's request to suspend further tests
until a Commission assessment of the health and safety
measures of the testing programme had been completed, France went
ahead with a second, 110 kiloton nuclear test at its
South Pacific test site on Monday.
Performing 'particularly dangerous experiments', such as the
testing of nuclear weapons, without obtaining the Commission's
prior opinion on additional health and safety measures,
breaches Articles 34 and 192 of the Treaty [1].
In breach of Articles 35 and 192 of EURATOM, the European
Commission's verification mission was denied full access to
Moruroa atoll and no access at all was granted for Fangataufa
atoll [2].
At its meeting today it is essential that the Commission
decides to sue France to ensure its compliance with EURATOM
obligations. Any failure by the Commission to proceed with
formal action would be based on purely political grounds which is
entirely inappropriate given its role as guardian of the
Treaties.
During the protest outside the Commission headquarters in
Brussels yesterday a mobile office received protest faxes for
delivery to the Commission. The faxes will be displayed on a
'bomb' opposite the Commission's headquarters.
For further information contact:
Louise Gale and Simon Carroll, Greenpeace European Unit, +32 2
280 14 00 or mobile phone +32 75 43 3003, or Fransc*
Verdeuzeldonk +31 6 531 06593.
The fax number where protest letters for the Commission may be
sent are +32 2 280 1874 or +32 2 230 8413.
Pictures of Greenpeace's action yesterday are available from
Photo News in Brussels: + 32 2 660 2082.
NOTES
A more detailed briefing document is available on request.
[1] Article 192 of the EURATOM Treaty requires Member States to
take all appropriate measures to ensure fulfilment of the
obligations arising out of the Treaty. Further, it requires
Member States to abstain from any measure which could
jeopardise the attainment of the objectives of the Treaty.
Article 2 of the EURATOM Treaty includes the objective to
establish uniform safety standards and to protect the health of
workers and of the general public and to ensure that they are
applied.
[2] In urgent circumstances, the Commission is empowered under
Article 38 of the EURATOM Treaty to immediately issue a
directive requiring a Member State to take all necessary
measures to prevent further infringements of basic standards
concerning radioactivity levels.
** End of text from cdp:headlines **
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