Menwith Hill Forum
c/o Peace & Emergency Planning Unit
Leeds City Council
4th Floor West
Civic Hall
Leeds LSI 1UR

Tel: (0113) 247 4341
Fax: (0113)2474338

Date 6th October 2000

President Bill Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500
United States of America

Dear President Clinton

The Menwith Hill Forum was established last year and contains representatives from Leeds City Council, Harrogate District Council, Otiey Town Council, local MP's from West and North Yorkshire, MEP's representing Yorkshire, local peace groups and concerned individuals.

The Forum was formed in response to deep concerns at the lack of transparency of the American surveillance station at Menwith Hill; fears that it infringes British and international law; and concerns that it is unaccountable when addressing local matters of environmental and amenity degradation.

The Forum is deeply concerned that the Menwith Hill base is being used to clandestinely intercept faxes, phone calls and emails of European citizens and businesses, breaking key freedoms of privacy and compromising economic competitiveness. The Forum notes that the European Parliament is so concerned about this that it has set up a temporary committee to investigate further.

Furthermore, the Forum remains perturbed about the already commenced expansion of the Menwith Hill and Fylingdales bases in anticipation of a decision to go ahead with the National Ballistic Missile Defence System. Such an expansion would break the 1972 ABM Treaty and has been condemned by various European governments, Russia and China among others. Such a system could inspire a new arms race and the militarisation of space. The Forum is pleased that you postponed an expansion of the system but urges you to scrap it before your term of office is over.

I understand you will be visiting the United Kingdom before your tenure in office is over, in particular visiting Northern Ireland. The Forum commends you for tirelessly seeking peace in Northern Ireland and the Middle East. However, the expansion of bases such as Menwith Hill in the post Cold War period does not appear to tally with such peaceful intentions elsewhere.

I would like to invite you to the picturesque town of Otiey, West Yorkshire: which is just a few miles from the Menwith Hill base. The Forum would like to discuss the role of the base and request for you, as President, to lift the veil of secrecy and make it more democratically accountable to local citizens on the base's doorstep.

The Menwith Hill Forum, like you, seeks a more peaceful world. The Forum is simply concerned that activities at bases such as Menwith Hill appear to be more interested in sectional economic and security issues than assisting with creating a more peaceful world.

I would look forward to meeting you in Otiey and welcoming you for a full and frank discussion of this vital issue.

Yours sincerely

John Eveleigh
Councillor, Otiey Town Council
Chair, Menwith Hill Forum.